QURGHON TEPPA, December 29, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- A pressure is being exerted on members of the Khatlon commission for observing national traditions and rituals.

The commission head Abduhalim Zabirov remarked this while speaking at a meeting of the Committee of Family and Women’s Affairs that was held in Qurghon Teppa, the capital of the Khatlon province on December 26.

According to him, on disclosure of violations of the Law on Observing National Traditions and Rituals, local official begin phoning leadership of the commissions asking not to introduce strict measures against their relatives or friends.

Zabirov also expressed concern about quick replacement of members of the commissions in some districts that creates serious problems.  “Heads of some districts, including Shahritus, have replaced members of the commissions for observing national traditions and rituals already four or five times,” he said, noting that the Khatlon commission’s work has recorded some 100 instances of violation of the Law on Observing National Traditions and Rituals this year.

The Law on Observing National Traditions and Rituals regulates private celebrations. The stated intent of the law is to protect the public from spending excessive amounts of money on parties.  The law limits the number of guests, eliminates engagement parties, and controls ceremonial gift presentations and other traditional rituals.  Government officials monitored weddings and funerals to ensure parties obeyed the new law and fined some who broke it.