SHC wants enforcement of law on child marriage

Government told to establish safe houses, rescue centres at taluka levels

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) ordered on Friday the deputy commissioners in the province to issue instructions to marriage registrars for enforcement of the Sindh Child Marriages Restraint Act, 2013. The order was issued by Justice Salahuddin Panhwar in Hyderabad on three identical petitions that requested the court to order protection of freewill marriage couples.

The act has declared marrying a person under 18 years of age as an offence punishable by up to three years imprisonment.

The judge observed that many girls fall prey to ill-motivated persons before attaining maturity, which is the reason for the need of enacting the Sindh Child Marriages Restraint Act, 2013.



Home Secretary Qazi Shahid Pervaiz, Women Development Secretary Mudassir Iqbal, representatives of the chief secretary and IG, Women Development Department Deputy Director Fauzia Ashraf and other officials attended the hearing.

The officials assured the court that its 2016 order regarding the establishment of a women commission will be implemented within a month. The commission was supposed to prepare and submit recommendations for protection of freewill marriage couples.

The SHC also directed the government to establish safe houses and rescue centres at the taluka level in each district of Sindh for the protection of such couples, especially the women. The women development secretary informed the court that three of the department's rehabilitation centres exist in Hyderabad, Nawabshah and Jacobabad.



However, the secretary said he was unable to inform the court whether these centres provided any help to the women seeking rehabilitation. "The [incapability] to produce record is itself alarming," the judge remarked.

The officials told the court that a provincial helpline will be established along with a dedicated force to receive complaints and provide protection to women.