Improving the Condition of Minorities and Reforming Family Laws is the Government’s Responsibility: Shabana Arif

Human rights and minority rights activist Shabana Arif said that there is an urgent need to improve the family laws governing minority communities, and it is the government’s responsibility to take practical steps toward reforming these laws.She expressed these views while meeting journalists at the Faisalabad Press Club. On Saturday, she visited the Faisalabad Press Club, where she met office-bearers and journalists led by Group Leader Shahid Ali and General Secretary Shaukat Wattoo.
During the meeting, she shared that she has previously visited several press clubs, including those in Dharki, Hyderabad, and Multan. The purpose of these visits is to establish a network of journalists who can effectively highlight minority rights and related issues.She stated that, unfortunately, minorities in Pakistan are largely overlooked. Their representatives are rarely invited to participate in prime-time television talk shows, and they are often ignored in both print and electronic media. To address this gap, efforts are being made to build an active and committed network of journalists who can advocate for minority rights and bring their concerns to the forefront.Shabana Arif further pointed out that the family laws applicable to minority communities date back to the British colonial era. As a result, members of minority communities—especially women—continue to face numerous legal and social challenges. She noted that minority communities have long demanded reforms to these outdated laws.According to her, the government has repeatedly stated that it is willing to consider amendments once minority communities submit a mutually agreed draft. However, she argued that such consensus is difficult to achieve without formal consultation initiated by the government. Therefore, meaningful progress is impossible unless the government takes the lead in facilitating dialogue and consultation.She emphasized that the government must take concrete measures to reform minority family laws, adding that they will continue to raise their voice for these reforms through the platform of journalism.