PA calls for uniform child marriage law nationwide

KARACHI:

The Sindh Assembly on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution urging the federal and provincial governments to establish a uniform minimum marriage age of 18 years for both girls and boys across the country.

The resolution, moved by PPP MPA Maleeha Manzoor, received resounding support from both treasury and opposition benches, reflecting rare cross-party consensus on a critical human rights issue.

Lawmakers welcomed the recent assent of President Asif Ali Zardari to the Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2025 for the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), which legally sets 18 years as the minimum marriage age. The House also commended the Balochistan Assembly for passing the Child Marriage Prohibition Bill 2025, adopting the same standard and criminalising child marriage throughout the province.

The resolution recalled with pride that Sindh became the first province to legislate against child marriage through the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2013, underscoring its long-standing commitment to the dignity, welfare and protection of children, particularly girls.

Addressing on the floor of the house, Manzoor praised the PPP leadership for steering these progressive reforms at both provincial and federal levels.

The resolution also reiterated Pakistan's obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), stressing that a uniform definition of a child is essential for equal protection across all provinces. "A child remains a child regardless of province or region, and uniform legislation is not just a legal necessity - it is a moral and constitutional responsibility," Manzoor added.

The House reaffirmed that harmonising child marriage laws nationwide is crucial to fulfilling constitutional guarantees, honouring international commitments, and ensuring the physical and mental well-being of every child. The assembly urged the remaining provinces to adopt similar legislation without delay to help eliminate child marriage across Pakistan.

JI resolution on law and order shot down

The Sindh Assembly on Tuesday rejected a resolution moved by Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) seeking a debate on what it called the province's "deteriorating law and order situation", even as the House approved other opposition-backed resolutions, including one demanding a public holiday on the death anniversary of Pakistan's first prime minister Liaquat Ali Khan and another against Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco). The session, chaired by Deputy Speaker Naveed Anthony, marked the Private Members' Day, allowing non-government lawmakers to table resolutions.

JI's Muhammad Farooq, while presenting his resolution, warned that citizens were living in fear and urged the government to restore public security. "Crime is rising and the people do not feel protected," he said.