Senate body for discouraging lavish expenditure on marriages
By Adnan Rafique

ISLAMABAD—The Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs has underlined the need for discouraging lavish expenditures on marriages and suggested that expenses on dowry, bridal gifts and the presents given on marriages should be restricted so that the poor section of the society heaves a sigh of relief.
This observation was made by the committee while discussing a Private Member’s Bill titled “The Dowry and Marriage Gifts (Restriction) Bill, 2003 introduced by Senator Ch. Muhammad Anwar Bhinder in the Senate. The committee met in the Parliament House here Thursday under the chairmanship of Senator Maulana Sami-ul-Haq.
Senator Ch. Muhammad Anwar Bhinder, the Mover of the Bill, apprized the committee of the aims, objectives and salient features of the bill. He said that West Pakistan Dowry (Prohibition on Display) Act, 1967 prohibited display of dowry at the time of marriage whereas the Dowry and Bridal Gifts (Restriction) Act, 1976 was enacted to restrict the lavish expenditures on marriages. The objective of enforcement of these acts failed to bring desired results as the same could not be enforced in letter and spirit, he added.
Highlighting the salient features of the bill, he said that the bill is intended to restrict the expenses on dowry, bridal gifts and the presents given on marriages. Moreover, it provides for easy and speedy restoration of the Dowry in case of the dissolution of marriage by Talaq (Divorce) and save the divorced wife form the lengthy litigation, added Ch. Muhammad Anwar Bhinder. The committee discussed the Bill in detail and approved the same with minor amendments. Minister for Religious Affairs, Ijaz-ul-Haq briefed the committee about the Hajj policy. He informed the committee that Hajj procedure was streamlined last year and that there was no major complaint from the Hajjis.
The Minster told the committee that 90,000 pilgrims will perform Hajj under Government Scheme while 60,000 pilgrims will perform Hajj through Hajj Group organizers. He said that all unsuccessful applicants in successive Hajj ballots of 2004 & 2005 have been accommodated. In reply to a question, Ijaz-ul-Haq informed the committee that Hajj fare has not been increased this year despite the fact that the prices of oil at international level have considerably increased.
The meeting was also attended by Senators Abdul Latif Ansari, Muhammad Abbas Komaili and Maulvi Agha Muhammad, Ch. Muhammad Anwar Bhinder and senior officials of the Ministry of Religious Affairs.