Pakistan, July 22 -- In a landmark step for indigenous peoples' rights and minority protection, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Assembly has passed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Kalash Marriage Bill, 2026, making it Pakistan's first comprehensive family law enacted specifically for an indigenous community.

The legislation provides, for the first time, a statutory framework for the solemnization, registration and dissolution of Kalash marriages while preserving the community's centuries-old customs and traditions.

The legislation traces its origins to Mr. Wazirzada, the first Kalash Member of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly and currently Focal Person to the Chief Minister on Minority Affairs, who initially introduced it as a Private Member's ...