News Detail
Event Title: Senator Hafiz Abdul Karim presiding over a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony at Parliament House Islamabad
Event Date: 2026-08-13
The Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony on Thursday took up a wide-ranging agenda, including allegations regarding the conduct of the Director General (Hajj), Jeddah, during the committee chairman’s visit to Saudi Arabia, Hajj quota and facilitation issues, proposed amendments to the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, 1961, revision of the Nikahnama form, and the alleged unlawful transfer of Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) land in Punjab.
The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Senator Atta-ur-Rehman. However, as Senator Atta-ur-Rehman had to travel to Balochistan to attend a previously scheduled government meeting, Senator Hafiz Abdul Karim presided over the proceedings.
The committee was expecting the Director General (Hajj), Jeddah, to attend the meeting and provide a detailed briefing and clarification regarding allegations of non-cooperation and inappropriate conduct towards the committee chairman during his visit to Saudi Arabia, as well as towards Senator Hafiz Abdul Karim. The DG did not attend the meeting. Senator Hafiz Abdul Karim observed that the official had been expected to appear before the committee to clarify his position it was further remarked that if the DG was seeking an extension in his tenure, he should also brief the committee on what he had achieved so far.
The committee directed that the Director General must attend its next meeting and give a detailed explanation regarding the issues raised against him.
The committee also discussed concerns relating to the Hajj quota and the difficulties reportedly faced by pilgrims during Hajj 2026.
Senator Husna Bano pointed out that 21,708 Hajj quota slots had fallen short this year and raised a number of concerns conveyed by pilgrims who performed Hajj in 2026.
The Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony and the Secretary of the Ministry assured the committee that the concerns would be addressed. The committee was informed that approximately 21,000 quota slots would be adjusted.
The committee was further briefed that an independent committee comprising experts had been constituted to examine Hajj-related matters, and approval from the Prime Minister was awaited. Members noted that no parliamentarian appeared to have been included in the proposed committee.
The Secretary clarified that neither members of parliament nor serving government officers had been included in the newly constituted expert committee.
The committee was informed that the expert body would examine matters relating to Hajj facilitation, services provided to pilgrims and effective utilisation of the 100 per cent Hajj quota, among other related issues.
The committee deferred consideration of the report on the Private Member’s Bill titled “The Muslim Family Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024”, introduced by Senator Syed Ali Zafar in the Senate on Sept 2, 2024.
Senator Syed Ali Zafar was out of the country and requested that the matter be taken up at the next meeting. He conveyed that, although he had boycotted other meetings of standing committees, he considered the matter important and intended to attend the next session.
The committee therefore deferred the matter.
The committee also held further discussions on the Private Member’s Bill titled “The Muslim Family Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024”, introduced by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri in the Senate on June 10, 2024.
The proposed legislation seeks to amend the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance by introducing definitions relating to maintenance, maintenance of children after adulthood and maintenance of wife. It also proposes amendments to Section 9 concerning maintenance proceedings.
Under the proposed amendments, an Arbitration Council would be required to be constituted within seven days of an application by a wife seeking maintenance from her husband. The council would subsequently be required to issue, within 31 working days, a certificate specifying the amount of maintenance payable by the husband.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs had referred the bill to the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) for its opinion in light of Islamic injunctions. The committee was informed that the CII had submitted written comments and did not support all of the proposed provisions.
The committee noted the CII’s observations and decided that the relevant provisions would be considered further in light of the council’s recommendations.
The committee also discussed the Private Member’s Bill titled “The Muslim Family Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026”, introduced by Senator Sarmad Ali in the Senate on Jan 19, 2026.
The bill seeks, among other measures, to require Nikah registrars to accurately complete all columns of the Nikahnama on the basis of information provided by the bride and groom under oath. It proposes punishment for non-compliance, including simple imprisonment of up to one month and a fine of Rs25,001.
The Ministry had referred the bill to the Council of Islamic Ideology for its views. According to the briefing, the CII supported the proposed amendment relating to accurate completion of the Nikahnama by the Nikah registrar or Nikah Khawan.
The council, however, expressed reservations over proposed amendments to Sections 6 and 7 of the existing ordinance, terming them inconsistent with Islamic injunctions.
During the discussion, the committee chairman questioned not only the proposed amendments but also the existing legal provision concerning a second marriage, arguing that it should be reviewed in light of Shariah principles. The Chairman of the Council of Islamic Ideology agreed that the matter required reconsideration and stated that the council would work towards proposing a new legal framework based on the Quran and Sunnah.
The CII also expressed disagreement with the proposed insertion of Section 9-A concerning maintenance of children born outside wedlock, stating that, according to its interpretation, the father is responsible for the maintenance of legitimate children, while responsibility for children born outside wedlock rests with the mother and specified maternal relatives.
Senator Waqar Mehdi suggested that the issue of children born outside wedlock should also be examined from the perspective of legal identity and registration. The committee recommended inviting the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to its next meeting for a detailed briefing.
The committee decided to reconsider the relevant provisions after examining the CII’s recommendations.
Senator Sarmad Ali’s proposal for reviewing the Nikahnama form was also discussed. The proposal seeks to make the form more user-friendly and remove ambiguities that may arise from unclear or vague wording in the headings of its columns.
The committee was informed that the Ministry had held a follow-up meeting with representatives of the Ministry of Interior and the ICT Administration on Jan 20, 2026, to expedite implementation of the updated Nikahnama forms.
It was decided that the relevant department would implement, print and circulate the revised forms in Islamabad Capital Territory and submit a compliance report. The committee was informed that the response from the relevant quarters was still awaited.
The committee also continued discussion on Starred Question No. 1, raised by Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi, concerning the alleged transfer of federally owned Evacuee Trust Property Board land in Punjab to unauthorised persons under the Punjab Conferment of Proprietary Rights on Occupancy Tenants and Muqarraridars Act, 2012.
The question also sought details regarding the ETPB chairman’s decision of April 2021 declaring such transfers invalid, subsequent confirmation of the decision by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, restoration of the federal government’s ownership in revenue records, and action against officials responsible for the alleged misuse of the provincial law.
The committee was informed that 1,907 kanals of ETPB land in Mouza Neeka and 1,275 kanals and 12 marlas in Mouza Ameer Khan, Tehsil Fateh Jang, District Attock, had allegedly been transferred to occupants under the 2012 provincial law.
According to the ministry’s briefing, such transfers were unauthorised and had taken place with the alleged connivance of local revenue officials.
The committee was further informed that the Chairman, ETPB, had declared the transfers invalid through an order dated April 15, 2021, under the relevant provisions of the Evacuee Trust Property (Management and Disposal) Act, 1975. The decision was subsequently upheld by the Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs through an order dated Oct 5, 2022.
Despite efforts by the ETPB field formations in Hassanabdal and Attock, the committee was told, ownership of the land had not yet been restored in favour of the ETPB/Federal Government in the revenue record because of alleged non-cooperation by the local revenue authorities despite repeated written requests.
The ministry clarified that no ETPB official had been found involved in the transfers. Rather, according to the briefing, the occupants had succeeded in obtaining ownership rights through the alleged connivance of local revenue staff.
The committee took note of the briefing and the issues raised concerning the restoration and protection of federal ownership of Evacuee Trust properties.
The committee directed the concerned authorities to ensure that the matters requiring further clarification, particularly the appearance of the Director General (Hajj), implementation of the updated Nikahnama forms, Hajj facilitation measures and the ETPB land issue, are pursued in subsequent meetings.
The meeting was attended by Senator Husna Bano, Senator Hafiz Abdul Karim , Senator Bushra Anjum Butt , Senator Sarmad Ali ( Mover ) , Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi ( Mover )