KARACHI: The third consultation on the proposed Sindh Christian Family Laws Bill 2026 was held at the Sindh High Court in Karachi, bringing together legal experts, members of the Sindh Assembly and representatives of the Christian Lawyers Forum Sindh.
The consultation focused on various legal aspects of the proposed legislation and ways to develop a comprehensive framework addressing family-related matters concerning Christian citizens.
The Sindh Assembly referred the private bill to its Standing Committee on Minorities Affairs on September 8 for examination and recommendations. The committee subsequently decided to seek broader consultation with Christian community representatives and other stakeholders before proceeding further.
MPA and Parliamentary Secretary for Minorities Affairs Roma Mushtaq Matto and MPA Muhammad Farooq Awan participated in the consultation and shared their views on the legal requirements and issues associated with Christian family laws.
BUHSCK International Conference Highlights Innovation in Mental Health
Representing the Christian Lawyers Forum Sindh, General Secretary Advocate Zeeshan Ejaz, Advocate Saleem Michael, Advocate Barner Newton and Advocate Christopher Charles presented their views, suggestions and recommendations on the proposed legislation.
The participants discussed ways to incorporate legal experts’ recommendations into the ongoing consultative process and ensure that different aspects of Christian family law receive detailed legal and technical consideration.
Roma Mushtaq Matto said stakeholder and legal expert input was important when developing legislation concerning the Christian community. She said meaningful consultation could help make the proposed framework more inclusive and responsive to legal and practical requirements.
She also described the participation of relevant stakeholders in the legislative process as constructive and said continued consultation could help improve understanding of legal matters affecting Christian families.
Farooq Awan said consultation with stakeholders, legal experts and representative institutions was an important part of the legislative process. He said detailed deliberations could help improve coordination and contribute to appropriate legal recommendations.
Awan also stressed the importance of continuing the consultation process so that relevant legal matters concerning Christian families could be examined comprehensively.
Representatives of the Christian Lawyers Forum Sindh called for continued consultation and further legal and technical discussions on the proposed bill.
The session also considered how suggestions and recommendations from legal experts could be incorporated into future consultations on the Sindh Christian Family Laws Bill 2026.
The consultation comes amid broader discussions over the proposed legislation, which seeks to update the legal framework governing Christian family matters in Sindh. The bill covers areas including marriage, registration, dissolution of marriage, judicial separation, maintenance and child-related matters.
The ongoing consultation process follows concerns raised by some Christian representatives and organisations regarding provisions of the proposed legislation. The Sindh Assembly’s standing committee has indicated that further consultation with the Christian community and other stakeholders will be undertaken before the bill is considered further.
