The ruling requires Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal to provide monthly support with an annual increase until each beneficiary marries.
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan’s Supreme Court has upheld a Sindh High Court order requiring Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal to provide financial assistance to two Hindu girls.
The court rejected a challenge to the order directing monthly payments of PKR10,000 to each beneficiary, with an annual increase of 10 per cent until marriage.
The judgment is significant for access to welfare by members of Pakistan’s religious minorities. Constitutional guarantees and public-welfare programmes apply irrespective of religion, though minority communities have repeatedly reported discrimination and difficulty accessing state protection.
The ruling concerns financial assistance and should not be portrayed as resolving wider concerns involving forced conversion, child marriage, education and violence against minority women and girls.
Implementation will depend on regular disbursement and whether comparable access is provided to other eligible applicants.
