Forced marriage is wrong and cannot be justified on any religious or cultural basis
MIRPURKHAS: Every year, hundreds of young people, both male and female, are forced into marriage against their will, often through violence perpetrated by their own families and relatives. This is a violation of fundamental human rights. Forced marriage is wrong and cannot be justified on any religious or cultural basis. It amounts to a form of domestic violence and crime. It can affect women and men from any community and background.
Victims of forced marriages often experience physical violence, rape, abduction, torture, false imprisonment and enslavement, sexual abuse, mental and emotional abuse, and at times, murder. According to statistics, of cases of forced marriages involving 74 countries, 43 per cent relate to Pakistan, 11 per cent to India and 10 per cent to Bangladesh. Unfortunately, Pakistan has the highest proportion. According to British Prime Minister David Cameron, “forced marriage is abhorrent and is little more than slavery. To force anyone into marriage against their will is simply wrong and that is why we have taken decisive action to make it illegal.” Parents who force their children into marriage face jail under the UK law. Pakistan should have similar laws.
Adil Rehman Mehar
Published in The Express Tribune, April 13th, 2015.
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