22/09/2026
Legal Literacy Workshop
Organized by: Parliamentarian Commission for Human Rights – Faisalabad Chapter
Date: 1 September 2026
Venue: Seminar Hall, E-Library, People’s Colony, Faisalabad
Facilitators / Speakers
Atif Jamil Pagan, Advocate High Court
Noreen Amjad, Advocate High Court
Naeem Ferooz Gujar, Advocate High Court
Aqsa Kanwal, Social Activist
Sitara Rana, Social Activist
Rana Sajad
Farukh Basheer
Yousaf Adnan, Director CARE Foundation & Focal Person, Faisalabad, Parliamentary Commission for Human Rights
Opening Session
The Legal Literacy Workshop began with the recitation from the Holy Quran, which was performed by Mr. Iftikhar Sandhu. Following this, Pastor Irshad Parkash read verses from the Holy Bible.
After the recitation, Mr. Yousaf Adnan, Director CARE Foundation and Focal Person, Faisalabad, Parliamentarian Commission for Human Rights, welcomed all the participants and guests. He gave a brief introduction to the Parliamentary Commission for Human Rights, explaining its objectives and role in promoting awareness of human rights and constitutional protections.
He also presented the agenda and objectives of the workshop, emphasizing the importance of legal literacy and awareness of the basic rights guaranteed under the Constitution of Pakistan.
5% Job Quota for Religious Minorities
Ms. Aqsa Kanwal, Social Activist, shared her views regarding the 5% job quota for religious minorities, which was introduced in 2009. She stated that the initiative is an important step for the representation and empowerment of religious minorities. However, she highlighted that there are several challenges in its implementation and called for practical measures to address these issues and ensure effective implementation of the quota.
Human Rights and Constitutional Rights
Ms. Noreen Amjad, Advocate High Court, delivered a detailed presentation on Human Rights. She explained the significance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and discussed basic human rights guaranteed under the Constitution of Pakistan.
She emphasized that every citizen should have awareness of their fundamental rights, including the right to health, right to education, freedom of speech, freedom of association, right to employment, and other fundamental rights.
She encouraged participants to become aware of the legal protections available to them and to promote legal literacy within their communities.
Muslim Family Laws
Mr. Naeem Ferooz Gujar, Advocate High Court, discussed the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, 1961. He explained the legal requirement concerning the registration of Muslim marriages and emphasized the importance of registering Nikah with the concerned Union Council in accordance with the applicable law.
Christian Family Laws
Mr. Atif Jamil Pagan, Advocate High Court, discussed the legal framework governing Christian marriages and divorce in Pakistan.
He explained that the Christian Marriage Act, 1872 and the Divorce Act, 1869 continue to form part of the legal framework governing Christian family matters in Pakistan.
He further stated that civil society organizations and leaders of religious minorities have been making efforts to propose amendments to the existing Christian family laws before the provincial and national assemblies.
Among the proposed reforms discussed during the workshop were:
Establishing 18 years as the minimum age for both the bride and groom.
Ensuring that both parties meet the legal requirements applicable to a Christian marriage.
Providing a clear legal mechanism for the solemnization and registration of Christian marriages by authorized persons.
Bringing the relevant provisions of Christian family laws in line with contemporary legal and social requirements.
Introducing appropriate amendments to the existing divorce-related legal framework while taking Christian religious principles into consideration.
Protection of Minority Community Property
Advocate Atif Jamil Pagan also discussed the issue of protection of minority community property, particularly property belonging to churches and local Christian communities.
He emphasized the importance of protecting community-owned religious property and ensuring that no individual unlawfully sells, transfers, or misappropriates property belonging to a church or the concerned local community.
Religious Intolerance, Blasphemy Laws and Jaranwala Incident
Mr. Rana Sajad discussed the problems related to Takfeer, blasphemy laws, and their alleged misuse for personal interests. He referred to the Jaranwala incident as a serious example of violence affecting religious minorities.
He stated that churches and houses belonging to Christian families were attacked and burned during the incident and emphasized the need for effective legal action, accountability, and protection of religious minorities.
He called upon law-enforcement agencies and relevant authorities to take effective preventive and protective measures so that such incidents do not occur in the future.
Message of Peace and National Unity
Mr. Farukh Basheer highlighted the importance of peace, tolerance, and interfaith harmony. He stated that all citizens are Pakistanis and emphasized the need to live together peacefully, respect one another, and work collectively for the development and progress of Pakistan.
Closing Session
At the end of the workshop, Ms. Sitara Rana expressed her gratitude to all the participants, facilitators, speakers, and guests for their valuable participation.
She appreciated the efforts of the Parliamentary Commission for Human Rights – Faisalabad Chapter in organizing the legal literacy workshop and creating an opportunity for community members, civil society representatives, religious leaders, and activists to learn about their constitutional and legal rights.
Conclusion
The Legal Literacy Workshop provided an important platform for discussing constitutional rights, human rights, minority rights, family laws, employment opportunities, protection of minority property, religious tolerance, and legal remedies.
The participants emphasized the need for continued legal literacy programs at the community level so that citizens, particularly marginalized and minority communities, can better understand their rights and responsibilities and access appropriate legal mechanisms when their rights are violated.
The workshop concluded with a renewed commitment to promoting human rights, equality, religious tolerance, peace, interfaith harmony, and the rule of law in Pakistan.