The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has strongly opposed the Punjab government’s move to incorporate a mandatory declaration of belief in the finality of Prophethood in ‘nikahnama’ forms.
“Such a provision panders to the right wing and could be used to incite violence against religious minorities if misused”, said HRCP in the statement.
The newly elected leader, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and his government in the Punjab province of Pakistan on Saturday approved an amendment to the Punjab Muslim Family Rules under the Muslim Family Law Ordinance 1961, making signing a declaration on the belief in the finality of prophethood (PBUH) mandatory for Muslim couples intending to get married.
In a notification issued by the provincial government, all the secretaries of union councils have been directed to provide the amended nikahnama containing the declaration of certainty of prophethood (PBUH) to all nikah registrars immediately, failing which they will be liable to face strict disciplinary action.
HRCP said in the statement, “Such a declaration is already mandatory when acquiring identity documents and should not be necessary at this stage”.
“The practical purpose of a nikah nama is to establish that both parties are contracting a marriage freely and to protect women’s right to divorce. It is not to establish an individual’s religious beliefs, which are a private matter and protected by Article 20 of the constitution,” it added.