Proposed Christian Family Law in Pakistan’s Sindh Faces Church Opposition

A proposed legislative overhaul of Christian family law in Pakistan’s Sindh province has encountered significant opposition from major church leaders. The Christian Family Laws Bill 2026, introduced by Deputy Speaker Anthony Naveed on September 8, aims to replace colonial-era statutes with updated regulations regarding marriage age, divorce, and child custody. While the bill seeks to establish a minimum marriage age of 18 and streamline family litigation, it has sparked controversy over the consultation process.

Archbishop Benny Travas of the Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi and the Rt. Rev. Frederick John of the Church of Pakistan have both publicly denied endorsing or approving the legislation. This contradicts claims made by the bill's sponsors, who asserted that the denominations were consulted during the drafting phase. The bill is currently under review by the Standing Committee on Minorities Affairs, which has been tasked with reporting its findings to the assembly within two weeks.