PODA Continues Mobile Legal Aid Clinic in Islamabad: Strong Community Response on Day Two
Islamabad (GNP) — Potohar Organization for Development Advocacy (PODA), with the support of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), successfully continued the second day of its three-day Mobile Legal Aid Clinic at St. Francis Catholic Church, F-7/4.
The initiative is aimed at providing free legal aid, assistance, and counseling to vulnerable communities, particularly women and members of the Christian community.
The Mobile Legal Aid Clinic brings together a team of experienced legal experts, including Farah Naz Awan Advocate (Former Attorney General for Pakistan), Khawaja Zahid Nasim (Legal Advisor, PODA), and Aiman Zahra (Law Officer, PODA). The team is offering legal guidance on a range of issues, with a special focus on the recent amendment to the Christian Marriage Act (Amendment) 2025, which sets the minimum marriageable age for both parties at 18 years. Previously, the legal age was 13 years for girls and 16 years for boys. PODA team distributed informative brochures on the Christian Marriage (Amendment) Act 2025 among the attendees.
On the second day of the clinic, approximately 70 individuals mostly women visited the facility to seek legal advice and support regarding various issues. The PODA legal team actively engaged with the participants, offering legal guidance and referring cases to relevant government institutions to ensure proper follow-up and resolution.
Pastor Yousaf Masih emphasised during the legal Clinic that under the recent marriage ICT Christian law, no marriage should be solemnized unless both the bride and groom are at least 18 years of age in Islamabad and that all marriages must be duly registered; otherwise, the absence of official records may lead to serious legal identity issues for children in the future.
Khawaja Zahid Nasim, Legal Advisor at PODA, conducted an informative awareness session on the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution of Pakistan. He also explained accessible legal procedures for lodging complaints and highlighted recent legislative developments, including the importance of legal awareness in protecting individual rights.
During the clinic, participants from the nearby Christian colony Slum (Kachi Abadi)raised serious concerns regarding their living conditions. Community members highlighted the lack of basic facilities such as clean drinking water, sanitation, healthcare, and proper infrastructure. Additionally, concerns about increasing drug addiction among adults were brought to attention.
Residents also expressed fears of forced evictions, stating that they are being threatened with removal from their homes without any assurance of alternative accommodation or resettlement. These issues reflect the urgent need for policy attention and protection of vulnerable communities.
A significant number of participants raised concerns about the non-registration of marriages, which has led to difficulties in obtaining legal identity documents, inheritance rights, and access to social services. The legal experts emphasized that marriage registration is a fundamental legal right and a critical safeguard for families. The community was guided on the proper procedures for marriage registration under the relevant laws.
Furthermore, the legal team stressed the responsibility of authorities to ensure the effective implementation of laws and to facilitate access to registration mechanisms for all citizens without discrimination.
Sameena Nazir, Executive Director PODA, emphasized that the organization remains committed to providing legal awareness and services to marginalized and rural women. She briefed that despite limited resources, PODA continues to extend such legal aid services across various parts of the country.
Participants appreciated PODA’s efforts, acknowledging that such initiatives bring essential legal services directly to underserved communities and help bridge the gap in access to justice.
PODA remains committed to empowering marginalized communities through legal awareness, advocacy, and accessible legal support services.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
