July 23, 2024 — President Asif Ali Zardari has signed the Christian Marriage (Amendment) Act 2024 into law during a special ceremony held at Aiwan-e-Sadr today. The Act raises the marriageable age for Christian men and women to eighteen years, amending Section 60 of the Christian Marriage Act of 1872, which previously set the ages at sixteen for men and thirteen for women.

In his address at the ceremony, President Zardari emphasized the importance of equality for minority communities in Pakistan and announced his intention to advocate for an increase in the employment quota for minorities in government jobs. “I will write to the Government to ensure that there is an enhanced quota for minorities in all departments,” he stated, reaffirming that minorities are equal citizens with equal rights in Pakistan.

President Zardari also encouraged minority communities not to be disheartened by isolated incidents, asserting their equal ownership of the country. “This homeland belongs to you as much as it belongs to anyone else,” he affirmed.

The ceremony was attended by Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Secretary of MORA Zulfiquar Haider, members of the Christian community, and senior government officials. Bishop Abraham Daniel, speaking at the event, expressed his gratitude to President Zardari for addressing the long-standing demand of the Christian community to raise the marriageable age. He also praised the President for his previous efforts in securing a 5% job quota for minorities, allocating special seats for them in the Senate, and declaring August 11 as Minorities’ Day.

Secretary Zulfiquar Haider reiterated the Government’s commitment to protecting the rights of minorities in line with the Constitution of Pakistan and the vision of the nation’s founding fathers.

The signing of the Christian Marriage (Amendment) Act 2024 marks a significant step towards ensuring equal rights and opportunities for minorities in Pakistan.