Pirbhu Lal Satyani, Member Sindh/Minorities of the NCRC, took part in a multi-stakeholder dialogue on Christian Personal Laws organised by the National Commission on the Status of Women in partnership with Community World Service Asia. The event convened representatives from government institutions, civil society, legal experts, faith leaders and community advocates to discuss legal reforms needed to protect women and girls from marginalised Christian communities.
A central element of the dialogue was a thematic panel on reforming Christian Personal Laws, where participants examined challenges and pathways to gender justice. During the discussion, Mr Satyani highlighted the inconsistency in minimum marriage age provisions, noting that the Islamabad Christian Marriage Act 1872 sets the minimum age for girls at 13 years, a figure that conflicts with contemporary legal and human rights frameworks.
Mr Satyani urged urgent revision and harmonisation of Christian Personal Laws to ensure the safety, dignity and rights of minority girls across Pakistan. He underlined the need for a uniform minimum age of marriage and called for coordinated legislative action that aligns personal laws with national and international protections for children and women.
The NCRC also offered technical support in the development of a draft bill, signalling the commission’s commitment to inclusive, rights-based legal reforms. The dialogue underscored the shared responsibility of state institutions and civil society to advance equitable and gender-just personal laws for all communities in Pakistan.
