Senate OKs law on wedding dress, guest numbers

KABUL on Tuesday approved a draft law banning un-Islamic dress at wedding parties and limiting the number of guests to 500.

Drafted by the judicial commission of the Wolesi Jirga (lower house), the legislative measure had been referred to the Senate for approval on January 7, 2014.

Mohiuddin Munsif, the commission head, hoped the law would help revive Afghan culture, discourage prohibitively high dowry, prevent moral corruption and cement couple relationships.

Based on the draft law, a maximum of 500 wedding guests could be invited and such functions will have to conclude by 3pm. Night wedding parties will have to end till 11pm.

A wedding hall owner violating the law would be fined 30,000 afghanis for the first time. A second violation would entail the wedding hall’s licence cancellation, Munsif warned.

But a lawmaker from northern Baghlan province, Faisal Sadiqi, believed limiting the number of guests could damage investments in the country.

In response, Munsif said: “I agree that well-off people can afford to invite more guests but others people cannot. This law is applicable to all people. I don’t think it would affect investment.”

Under the draft law, men cannot wear women’s dress or dance at wedding parties. It will also outlaw the use of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products and smoking.

A majority of 64 Meshrano Jirga members present voted in favour of the legislative measure. Chairman Abdul Hadi Muslimyar urged the relevant organs to enforce the law immediately after it was signed by the president.

mds/mud

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