PESHAWAR, Jul 21 (APP):The passage of the Kalash Marriage Act by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly marks a historic milestone for Pakistan’s only indigenous Kalash community. For the first time, the legislation provides a comprehensive legal framework governing marriage within the Kalash community, strengthening the protection of its unique culture, identity, family structure, and legal rights. To commemorate this landmark achievement, a ceremony was held at the Speaker’s Chamber of the …
Kalash community celebrates passage of Kalash Marriage Act by KP PA
PESHAWAR, Jul 21 (APP):The passage of the Kalash Marriage Act by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly marks a historic milestone for Pakistan’s only indigenous Kalash community. For the first time, the legislation provides a comprehensive legal framework governing marriage within the Kalash community, strengthening the protection of its unique culture, identity, family structure, and legal rights.
To commemorate this landmark achievement, a ceremony was held at the Speaker’s Chamber of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, where a delegation from the Kalash community, led by Wazir Zada Kalash, President of the Insaf Minority Wing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and former Member of the Provincial Assembly, called on Speaker Babar Saleem Swati.
The delegation included Stephen Kent, Country Director of Norwegian Aid, Sarmad Iqbal, Rizwan Ali, and Qamar Naseem, Chief Executive Officer of Blue Veins. Chief Whip of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Akbar Ayub Khan, Secretary of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Syed Waqar Shah, Principal Secretary to the Speaker Mian Sarir, and other officials were also present.
During the ceremony, the delegation thanked Speaker Babar Saleem Swati and all the honourable Members of the Provincial Assembly for the unanimous support extended towards the approval of the Kalash Marriage Act. As a gesture of appreciation, members of the Kalash community cut a celebratory cake in honour of the Speaker and acknowledged the Assembly’s significant role in the enactment of this historic legislation.
Speaking on the occasion, Speaker Babar Saleem Swati said that the Kalash community was a treasured part of Pakistan’s cultural heritage. He emphasized that safeguarding the community’s culture, traditions, identity, and rights is a collective responsibility.
He reaffirmed that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly would continue to uphold and protect the constitutional and legal rights of all communities, particularly minority groups. The Speaker further stated that the Assembly remained committed to legislating in line with the aspirations of the people. He described the Kalash Marriage Act as a shining example of the Assembly’s commitment to protecting fundamental rights while promoting respect for cultural diversity across the province.
Wazir Zada expressed his gratitude to Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the provincial government, and all Members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly for their support. He said the approval of the Kalash Marriage Act fulfils a long-standing demand of the Kalash community and would play a vital role in preserving its family system, religious traditions, and cultural identity for generations to come.
The delegation also reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with the government and relevant institutions to ensure the effective implementation of the Kalash Marriage Act, with the shared objective of safeguarding the rights, interests, and identity of the Kalash community.
