Sixty per cent of the “nikahnamas” (marriage registration forms), registered in Punjab from 2016 to 2022, were found to be incomplete, according to a diagnostic study titled “Protecting Women’s Marriage Rights in Pakistan”, The News has reported.
The Inter-Provincial Working Group on Protecting Women’s Marriage Rights conducted its first working group meeting on Thursday, during which the study’s conclusions were addressed.
The third meeting in a series of working groups was held to address regional variations in Pakistani law and the framework for its implementation.
“The diagnostic study shows that the bride’s CNIC number was missing in 48 per cent of the total ‘nikahnamas’ out of which 75 per cent of bride’s were marked as between the age of 16-18. Only 8 per cent of ‘nikahnamas’ contained the right of monthly allowance, 39 per cent had ‘nan nafqah/haq maher’ documentation column crossed out or left blank and 97 per cent of the ‘nikahnamas’ did not give delegation of right of divorce out of which 40 per cent had the column crossed or left blank. In addition, 51 per cent of the forms did not contain any special conditions,” read The News report.
“There are different laws and policies such as Article 11-3 and Article 25 A of the constitution which give a differing interpretation of the age of child. There should be uniformity and consensus in federal and provincial laws,” said Chairperson NCHR Rabiya averi Agha while emphasising the importance of focusing on the ‘nikkahnama’ as a legal document to ensure protection of women marriage rights.”
