DLP Report
PESHAWAR
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Monday unanimously passed the Kalash Marriage Act, the first legislation in Pakistan to legally recognise and regulate marriage customs within the country’s only indigenous Kalash community.
Officials and community leaders hailed the law as a key step toward safeguarding the community’s cultural identity, family structure, and legal rights.
A ceremony was held at the Speaker’s Chamber of the KP Assembly on July 21 to mark the occasion. A delegation from the Kalash community, led by Wazir Zada Kalash, President of the Insaf Minority Wing KP and former MPA, called on Speaker Babar Saleem Swati.
The delegation included Stephen Kent, Country Director of Norwegian Aid; Sarmad Iqbal; Rizwan Ali; and Qamar Naseem, Chief Executive of Blue Veins. Also present were KP Assembly Chief Whip Akbar Ayub Khan, Assembly Secretary Syed Waqar Shah, and Principal Secretary to the Speaker Mian Sarir.
Community members thanked the Speaker and all MPAs for their support and cut a celebratory cake in his honour.
“The KP Assembly will continue to uphold the constitutional and legal rights of all communities, particularly minority groups,” he said, adding that the Act reflected the Assembly’s commitment to legislating in line with public aspirations while promoting respect for cultural diversity.
Speaking at the ceremony, Speaker Swati said the Kalash community was “a treasured part of Pakistan’s cultural heritage” and that protecting its traditions and rights was a collective responsibility.
Wazir Zada thanked the Speaker, Chief Minister, provincial government and the Assembly for backing the bill. He said the Act fulfilled a long-standing demand of the Kalash people and would help preserve their family system, religious traditions and cultural identity for future generations.
The delegation reaffirmed its commitment to work with the government and relevant institutions to ensure effective implementation of the law, with the goal of protecting the rights and identity of the Kalash community.
