Oslo (Bureau Report)
More than 30 immigrant organizations with Pakistani background held a meeting last week in order to oppose a proposed ban on cousin’s marriage in Norway.
The participants discussed the proposal and jointly opposed the ban on marriage between cousins.
Early this year, the progress party of Norway (FrP), on of the allied party in the sitting government of Norway proposed the ban on cousin’s marriage in the country.
Answering to this proposal, the participants of the gathering expressed their concerns over the proposed ban and said, choice of marriage should be free. People have right, where they want to marry.
Norwegian Immigration Forum and Pakistan Norway Forum also participated and supported the initiative.
Freedom to run your own life is one of the most important democratic principles in Norway. The state should not dictate the people to whom they can marry or to whom, they cannot.
The gathering was addressed by prominent figures including Pak Norway Forum’s President Ch Ismail Sarwar, President Immigrants Forum Ch Ahtar Ali, Journalist Aqeel Qadir and Dr Syed Nadeem of Daricha and Aftab Warraich of Halqa Arbab Zauq, Maulana Syed Farasat Ali and Aziz ur Rehman Chisti.
If the state prohibits marriages between cousins, it will violate basic human rights, including Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Norway is the democratic country so Norwegian Government should take care the rights of minorities and immigrants, said the gathering of the Norwegian Pakistanis. They said, this proposal is against the human rights, social values and as well as religious ethics. The Norwegian Pakistani politicians should also raise the voice against this proposal, because Norwegian Pakistani community will be the victim, they said.
According to a survey carried out in Norway, many of the Norwegian Pakistanis marry to their cousins and their ratio is higher than any other community residing in this Nordic country.
