Pak province allows Hindu marriage

A province in Pakistan has become the first in the largely Muslim country to give Hindus the right to register their marriage officially.

The bill was passed on Monday by lawmakers in Sindh -- home to many of Pakistan's three million Hindus. Activists say that without such a law, Hindu women are targets for forced conversions, abduction and rape, and there is a lack of rights for widows.

The country's national assembly is also considering a similar law.

Under the bill, Hindus above the age of 18 in Sindh can register their marriages. It can be applied retroactively to existing unions. However, the legislation also contains a controversial clause that allows the marriage to be annulled if any spouse converts.

For decades, Pakistan's Hindus have faced discrimination and religious persecution. In rural Sindh, young Hindu girls have been a regular target for abductions, forced religious conversions and underage marriages. The perpetrators of these crimes are often protected by local influential figures linked to Islamic seminaries.