Senate Body Considers Bill For Blood Screening Before Marriage

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Senate Body considers bill for blood screening before marriage

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 04th Nov, 2016 ) : Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice on Friday considered the Premarital Blood Screening (Family Laws Amendment) Bill 2016 and directed the ministry to assist the mover in improving the draft of the bill before further deliberations.

The meeting held under the Chairmanship of Senator Muhammad Javed Abbassi discussed the bill in detail aimed at bringing amendments in the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, 1961. The bill suggests that no marriage shall be solemnized under the Muslim Law unless the prospective partners have undergone premarital blood screening tests and produce a medical certificate from an authorized medical officer or hospital as nominated from time to time in consultation with the concerned family court.

The mover of the bill Ch. Tanveer said that it is not out of Shariah to conduct blood test before `Nikah' and passage of this bill will help to overcome various diseases including thalassemia. He informed the committee that such legislation exists in Saudi Arabia, Iran and countries of middle East.

He said that Chairman Senate would also be consulted on the issue while Ministry of Law and Justice should report on it within two weeks.

State Minister for Religious Affairs also endorsed the bill while Senators Hamd Ullah and Nihal Hashmi suggested to facilitate people in this regard for a health society.

Secretary Religious Affairs Sohail Aamir said that awareness campaign should be launched before passage of this bill and it should not be mandatory for everyone to conduct such tests. I am not opposing this bill and suggest to have detailed discussion on it, he maintained.

Ch. Tanveer also suggested to ask PIPS to hold public hearing on it. Pathologist Dr. Hassan Raza said that there is no mechanism in the country to regulate laboratories and problems may surface after legislation in present infrastructure.

The Committee deferred the bill for further consideration and directed Secretary Law and Justice to assist Ch. Tanveer in improving the draft of the bill. The meeting was attended among others by Senators Nehal Hashmi, Saleem Zia, Baz Muhammad Khan, Hamza, Hari Ram, Gian Chand, Hamd Ullah, John Kenneth Williams, Secretary Law and Justice Karamat Niazi.