PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has planned to enact Pakistan’s first law on Kalash marriage rights to protect the rights of Kalash families, particularly the indigenous women.
The Cabinet Committee on Legislation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa convened under the chairmanship of Provincial Minister for Law, Human Rights, and Parliamentary Affairs, Advocate Aftab Alam, to deliberate on two key legislative initiatives. The meeting was attended by Provincial Minister for Transport Haji Rangez Khan, MPA Munir Hussain Lughmani, the Advocate General, Secretary Law Akhtar Saeed Turk, Secretary Board of Revenue Irshad Ahmad, Secretary Transport and Mass Transit Muhammad Younas, along with senior officials of the concerned departments.
One of the main agenda items was the review of granting magisterial powers to the Secretary of the Provincial Transport Authority (PTA) and Secretaries of the Regional Transport Authorities (RTAs). Legal experts affirmed that this delegation of powers is valid under Section 14-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, which was recently amended to include matters pertaining to motor vehicles. The measure would authorise transport officials to adjudicate offences not punishable by death, such as fare irregularities and passenger overloading, thereby strengthening regulatory enforcement in the transport sector.
The committee also discussed in detail the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Kalash Marriage Bill, 2025 – the first-ever dedicated legislation in Pakistan for the Kalash community, a distinct indigenous, religious, and cultural minority. The bill provides a comprehensive legal framework to safeguard Kalash traditions, recognised by UNESCO in 2018 as an “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.” It aims to protect rights related to marriage, divorce, inheritance, and child custody. In the absence of such a framework, the Kalash community has faced challenges, including lack of marriage documentation, inheritance disputes, and insufficient legal protection for women.
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The proposed legislation has been developed after extensive consultations with Kalash representatives, religious leaders, and legal experts. The Local Government and Rural Development Department (LGE&RDD) recommended presenting the bill before the provincial cabinet for approval. Once enacted, the bill will empower Kalash women, curb forced marriages, and ensure stronger protection of children’s rights.
