President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday signed the Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Bill into law, setting the minimum age for marriage at 18 years.
The new legislation criminalises the solemnisation of marriages where either the boy or girl is underage.
HRCP slams CII
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has strongly criticised the CII for raising objections to the recently passed Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Bill, calling the move a serious attempt to hinder vital child protection legislation.
It expressed deep concern over the CII's stance, which challenges the bill that sets 18 years as the minimum legal age for marriage and criminalizes child marriage in the federal capital.
"The bill establishes a long-overdue legal standard in Pakistan and aligns with both constitutional guarantees and international human rights commitments," the HRCP stated.
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