ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Interior has rejected the recent bill on child marriage that proposed to increase the minimum age of marriage for girls to 18 from 16 on ground of its being un-Islamic. The head of the committee claimed that he had discussed the issue with religious scholars and they were of the opinion that girls can be married before the age of 18 under Islamic injunctions.
Even if we assume this interpretation is true, it is important to understand that Islam lays equal emphasis on practicalities. In Pakistan, early marriages have time and again been proven to give rise to multiple problems: from stunted children, poor health of women — especially those rearing children at a young age, depriving young girls of their right to education and choice, among other things. In an era where educating girls is not only important to empower them but also leads to economic development, it is unfortunate that the committee has rejected the bill.
How is the democratic leadership really committed to achieving the SDGs when it can’t even stop a practice that puts lives of half of its population at risk by letting them getting married below the age of 18 years?
Michelle Khalid
Published in The Express Tribune, October 15th, 2017.
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Source: Tribune News | Child marriage bill
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