Dr Sham Sunder Advani pledges full support for proposed legislation; says Sindh Assembly will play its role in securing legal protection for Hindu women and daughters
KARACHI (Nazrana Times): A national consultative meeting on Hindus’ right of inheritance in Sindh was held in Karachi, bringing together lawmakers, lawyers, representatives of Hindu Panchayats, civil society members and community leaders to discuss the legal and constitutional framework needed to strengthen inheritance protections, particularly for Hindu women and daughters.

The meeting was convened by the National Lobbying Delegation for Minority Rights. Dr Sham Sunder Advani, Member of the Sindh Assembly, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister of Sindh for Minority Affairs, and Chairman of the Sindh Evacuee Trust Property Board, attended as a special guest.
Among those present were Sindh Assembly Deputy Speaker Naveed Anthony, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister of Sindh for Human Rights Rajveer Singh Sodha, MPA Mahesh Kumar Hasija, meeting organizer Krishna Sharma, former Sindh Assembly members Mangla Sharma and Diwan Chand Chawla, and lawyers Kalpana Devi, Roop Mala, Suresh Jhamatmal and Ramesh Gupta.
Jyoti Maheshwari, Kumari Pushpa, Kamla Bheel, Sardar Kalyan Singh and Jai Prakash also attended, along with representatives of Hindu Panchayats from different cities, social and political figures, members of the National Lobbying Delegation and other guests.

Panel Examines Legal and Constitutional Issues

A panel discussion involving social, political and religious leaders, Hindu Panchayat representatives, lawyers and members of civil society examined the legal, social and constitutional dimensions of inheritance rights for Hindus in Sindh.
Participants discussed the legislation they believe is necessary to provide effective legal protection for inheritance rights and address concerns affecting members of the Hindu community, particularly women and daughters.

Advani Reaffirms Support for Proposed Legislation

Addressing the meeting, Dr Sham Sunder Advani praised the continued efforts of the National Lobbying Delegation and Advocate Jhamatmal toward legislation on the issue.
He said the Pakistan Peoples Party had consistently advocated the rights of women, children, minorities and other citizens of Pakistan and had worked for the protection and advancement of those rights at both national and international levels.

“Inheritance Is About a Woman’s Dignity and Security”

Highlighting the significance of inheritance rights for women, Advani said inheritance should not be viewed merely in terms of property.
He described it as a matter of a woman’s dignity, security and rightful place within her family, adding that society cannot achieve genuine progress unless daughters are given both the opportunity to pursue their aspirations and access to property that is rightfully theirs.

Advani also said Sanatan Dharma accords respect to women and teaches society to safeguard their dignity, rights and welfare.

Referring to constitutional guarantees of equality, he said women and daughters should receive equal legal protection and opportunities.

Proposed Law Could Be a Historic Step, Advani Says

Advani described the proposed legislation as one of his priorities and said he was personally committed to helping turn it into law.
“I personally want this legislation to take practical shape because it is not merely a law, but a cause connected with humanity and service to society. Its approval will be a historic step,” he said.
He further said he supported the initiative not only as a parliamentarian but also as a father of daughters.
Advani pledged to make every possible effort to have the proposed bill presented before the Sindh Assembly without delay. He also expressed confidence that lawmakers belonging to the Pakistan Peoples Party would support the initiative and work toward securing broad agreement for its passage.

Participants Hope for Early Passage

Participants appreciated Advani’s efforts concerning the welfare and rights of minority communities and expressed confidence in his commitment to advancing inheritance protections for Hindus in Sindh.
They also voiced hope that the proposed legislation would soon be presented before the Sindh Assembly and enacted, providing stronger and more effective legal protection for the legitimate inheritance rights of the Hindu community, particularly women and daughters.