The National Assembly Standing Committee on Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony has approved 'The Holy Quran (Education and Propagation, Recitation by Sighting, Translation, Learning by Heart and Correct Pronunciation) Act, 2017'. The bill moved by MNA Sahibzada Tariq Ullah was titled as 'The Education of Holy Quran According to Recitation by Sighting and with Translation, Learning by Heart and with Correct Pronunciation Bill, 2014' which was reconsidered and approved by the committee after vetting by the Law Division.

The committee took place under the chairmanship of MNA Hafiz Abdul Kareem. The Committee discussed the minority rights bill titled 'The National Commission for Minority Rights Act, 2015' which was moved by MNA Lal Chand Malhi. MNA Tariq Christopher Qaiser recommended increasing the members of the Commission to make it useful and effective, and to give representation to all the minority communities of Pakistan. He also suggested giving the right to the minorities to elect their representatives directly. The committee constituted its sub-committee under the convenorship of MNA Ali Muhammad Khan including Lal Chand Malhi, Tariq Christopher Qaiser and Sahibzada Muhammad Yaqub to discuss the Minority Rights Bill 2015 in its meetings and give suggestions to the main committee.

The committee also discussed a private member's Bill titled 'The Child Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Bill, 2016' moved by MNA Kishwer Zehra, in the meeting and was rejected unanimously. Then the committee was given a comprehensive briefing by the ministry on the Hajj arrangements. The committee recommended resolving the issues of pilgrims and the ministry on priority basis.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2017