On Monday, a Christian man named Joshua Ilyas was convicted for violating the law by entering into a second marriage while his first wife was still alive. This marks the inaugural case under the Christian Marriage Act of 1872.
The Judicial Magistrate East sentenced Ilyas to nine years in prison and imposed a fine of Rs25,000 for this breach of marriage law.
According to court documents, Ilyas was found guilty under CrPc Section 245 (ii), allowing the magistrate to pronounce a sentence for the offense. Additionally, he faced charges under PPC Section 468 (committing forgery with the intent to cheat), Section 471 (fraudulently using a forged document as genuine), and Section 494 (remarrying while the spouse is alive). Although each PPC section carries a three-year sentence, the judge ordered that the sentences be served concurrently, resulting in a total imprisonment of three years.
During the hearings, the petitioner Ester’s lawyer revealed that Ilyas and his client had married a year and a half prior. After the marriage, Ilyas sent his wife to Dubai. Upon her return to Pakistan, Ester discovered that Ilyas had entered into a second marriage, a violation of the Christian Marriage Act.
Following the conclusion of arguments, the judge pronounced the verdict of imprisonment and fines. The judge also warned Ilyas that failure to pay the penalty would result in an additional two months of imprisonment.
After the verdict, the lawyer remarked, “This is the first instance of a person being convicted under the Christian Marriage Act in Sindh.” It’s noteworthy that the first wife had filed a case against Ilyas at the Mehmoodabad Police Station in Karachi, as per the court’s instructions.
