Sindh Christian Family Laws Bill 2026 receives cross-party support at Karachi consultation

KARACHI (Nazrana Times): Representatives of several political parties, legal experts and civil society members expressed support for the proposed Sindh Christian Family Laws Bill 2026 during a consultation in Karachi on Wednesday. Participants stressed the importance of broad consultation to protect Christian families and advance equal rights.

The Parliamentarians Commission for Human Rights (PCHR) organised the Sindh Parliamentary Working Group Meeting on Christian Marriage Law at Avari Towers. The meeting examined the proposed legislation’s objectives and provisions.

Anthony Naveed explains the proposed bill

Sindh Assembly Deputy Speaker Anthony Naveed, who is sponsoring the bill, gave a detailed briefing on its provisions and rationale. He responded to questions and concerns and addressed what he described as misinformation about the legislation, offering factual and legal explanations of its objectives.

Participants included PML-N Senator Kamran Michael and special assistants to the Sindh chief minister Dr Sham Sundar Advani and Rajvir Singh Sodha. MQM-Pakistan provincial assembly members Dr Fouzia Hameed, Sikandar Khatoon and Anil Kumar Ratnani attended, alongside PTI provincial assembly member Owais.

Civil society and legal representatives included Pastor Atiq Qaisar Bhatti of the 616 Foundation, Advocate Waheed Javaid, legal expert Luke Victor and PCHR Executive Director M. Shafique Chaudhary.

Lawmakers pledge support

Following the briefing, Senator Kamran Michael, Pastor Atiq Qaisar Bhatti, Advocate Waheed Javaid and Luke Victor shared their views and endorsed the proposed bill. The participating MQM-Pakistan lawmakers reaffirmed their support for the legislation in the Sindh Assembly, while PTI lawmaker Owais also pledged his backing.

Consultations proposed across all provinces

Senator Kamran Michael proposed consultations with parliamentarians from all provinces to build a nationwide consensus. Deputy Speaker Anthony Naveed supported the proposal, saying wider discussions could help promote consistency if other provinces introduced similar legislation in the future.

Dr Sham Sundar Advani and Rajvir Singh Sodha appreciated the deputy speaker’s efforts to extend awareness and consultation to the grassroots level before the bill’s passage.

Participants thanked M. Shafique Chaudhary and the PCHR team for convening the dialogue. They reaffirmed their commitment to protecting Christian families, advancing equal rights and supporting legal reform through meaningful consultation.