Is the Punjab govt banning dance and music at wedding ceremonies?

On Tuesday, the Punjab government tabled a resolution to ban dance and music gatherings at weddings in the provincial assembly.

During the debate, Member of Provincial Assembly Uzma Kardar opposed the resolution, stating, “Don’t restrict our small moments of joy.” She questioned the proposer’s experience with weddings, saying, “We oppose restrictions on celebrating our children’s weddings in line with Punjab’s cultural traditions.”

Punjab Assembly Speaker remarked, “If a DPO calls in Mahak Malik, it’s considered art and culture, but if a poor person does it, it’s labeled as obscenity.”

Samiullah Khan suggested that social issues should be addressed by society, pointing out the lack of social pressure groups in Pakistan and proposing the resolution be redrafted in line with social and cultural traditions.

Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan referred the resolution to a committee for amendments regarding dance and mistreatment of female dancers and transgender individuals at wedding events.

The resolution, presented by government member Hameeda Mian, stated that festivals and family gatherings, such as weddings, reflect a society’s cultural and religious values. It noted that in Punjab, organizing and live-streaming music and dance gatherings at weddings has become common, often including obscene performances under the guise of dance, with intoxicated participants engaging in highly unethical and inhumane behavior.

The resolution highlighted incidents of mistreatment and humiliation of female dancers and transgender individuals, with reports of injury or even death of transgender persons, which is a blatant violation of human rights and contradicts our religious and cultural values.

The provincial assembly urges the federal and provincial governments to impose an immediate and strict ban on such obscene gatherings at wedding events, along with introducing proper legislation to prevent these incidents.

It called for an amendment to Section 294 of the Pakistan Penal Code to establish fines and increase prison terms, alongside strict legal action against those mistreating female dancers and transgender individuals.

To curb such heinous incidents, the resolution called for law enforcement and relevant agencies to take immediate notice of these incidents and enforce disciplinary actions.