National Consultation Held on Reforms to Christian Personal Laws
Lahore, May 18–19, 2026 — In a landmark effort to advance legal equity, a coalition of seven human rights and development organisations, in collaboration with the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) and minority rights activists, hosted a two-day National Consultation on proposed reforms to Christian Personal Laws. The historic dialogue brought together over 180 key stakeholders, including parliamentarians, legal experts, academics, and faith leaders to drive overdue legislative updates to the Christian Marriage Act of 1872 and the Christian Divorce Act of 1869.
The convening coalition includes the National Lobbying Delegation (NLD), Society for Human Equality and Empowerment, Baithak, Community World Service Asia (CWSA), Peace and Development Foundation (PDF), District Development Association Tharparkar (DDAT), and Be The Change.
The consultation opened with a panel discussion moderated by Atif Jameel, Advocate and member of the NLD, which brought together key stakeholders to examine challenges and explore actionable pathways for CPL reforms.
Speaking on the topic, Anthony Naveed, Deputy Speaker Sindh Assembly, stated, “If laws exist for forests, then why not for human beings?” He further added “Power and vision can create a great impact, and through collective efforts, such as this consultation today, meaningful change is possible.”
Ejaz Alam Augustine, MPA Punjab Assembly, highlighted the importance of family institutions by stating, “After marriage, a department is created which is called a family,” while stressing the urgent need to address existing flaws in personal laws while Mahesh Kumar, MPA Sindh Assembly, called for amendments in the Muslim Marriage Act as well, emphasising equal attention towards necessary legal reforms. Sanjay Kumar, MPA Balochistan Assembly, also remarked during the discussion, “Every religion has room for flexibility, and we must identify and utilise that space for positive reform.”
The second panel of the day discussion was moderated by Romana Basheer, CEO of the PDF and an active NLD member, focusing on theological perspectives and the evolving nature of legal and social responsibilities within the Christian community.
Emphasising the evolutionary nature of justice, Bishop Abraham Daniel stated, “Laws must change to reflect the evolving needs of society. This is a collective responsibility we bear for ourselves and for future generations.” Addressing the sensitive nature of marital dissolution, Rev. Dr. Muazzam John added, “While divorce exists within Christian theology, the disagreement lies in the legal grounds on which it is granted. It must be remembered that compassion must prevail, as oppression within marriage is fundamentally contrary to faith.”
The consultation brought together a powerful cross-party assembly of lawmakers, including Punjab Assembly MPAs Shakeela Javed and Chaudhry Waseem Anjum Sandhu, KPK Assembly MPA Askar Pervez, and Sham Sunder Advani, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Minority Affairs.
The primary objective of the convening was to challenge the federal government to end nearly a decade of legislative gridlock and expedite the passage of the draft bill on Christian Personal Laws, which has been pending since 2017. Simultaneously, the event mobilised parliamentarians across Punjab, Sindh, KPK, and Balochistan to introduce the comprehensive draft bill within their respective provincial assemblies, marking a critical step toward the legal empowerment and protection of the community.
Deliberations centered on securing robust legal guarantees for women and children in critical areas such as marriage validity, divorce, maintenance, guardianship, and inheritance rights. Moving forward, the coalition mapped out strategic pathways to build the political will necessary to transform these long-awaited reforms into enforceable statutory protections.
