Pakistan Churches Challenge Sindh Family Law Over Faith and Religious Freedom Concerns

KARACHI, Pakistan — A proposed overhaul of Christian family law in Pakistan’s Sindh province has sparked a growing dispute after two major church bodies denied claims that they had approved the legislation.

Sindh Assembly Deputy Speaker Anthony Naveed introduced the Christian Family Laws Bill 2026 on Sept. 8. The private member’s bill would raise the minimum marriage age for Christian men and women to 18 while establishing new rules governing marriage registration, divorce, judicial separation, alimony, child custody, and remarriage.

The measure would replace colonial-era marriage and divorce statutes in Sindh. It also seeks to require voluntary consent to marriage and have family cases resolved within six months.

Supporters maintain that the bill would strengthen protections for Christian women, children, and families. Naveed said representatives from several denominations participated in months of consultation.

Church leaders, however, say participation must not be misrepresented as consent.

Archbishop Benny Travas of Karachi said the Catholic Church neither endorsed nor approved the bill. The Archdiocese of Karachi stated that Catholic representatives submitted substantial constitutional, legal, and ecclesiastical objections that remain unresolved.

Bishop Frederick John of the Church of Pakistan likewise rejected claims that he had formally consented. He described the current draft as “incomplete, immature, and entirely unready” for presentation to the provincial assembly.

At the heart of the controversy is the Christian conviction that marriage is more than a government-regulated contract. Both churches stressed that Holy Matrimony is a sacred covenant grounded in biblical teaching, historic doctrine, and church tradition.

Church officials also warned that a province-specific law could create conflicting standards for Christians across Pakistan. They called instead for a transparent national consultation process and a uniform federal framework that protects denominational identities, sacramental practices, and religious autonomy under Article 20 of Pakistan’s Constitution.

The debate comes amid serious concerns about forced conversion and child marriage. A Jubilee Campaign study documented 210 verified cases involving the abduction, forced conversion, child marriage, or sexual abuse of minority girls from 2019 through 2025. More than 83 percent of the victims were minors.

Christian leaders recognize the urgent need to protect vulnerable families, but insist reform must not come through legislation that sidelines the Church’s voice or compromises the biblical meaning of marriage.

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