Child marriages: House agrees on age limit, debates on ‘better’ bill

Sharmila Faruqui moves bill on prohibition of dowry, gifts worth more than Rs50,000 .

KARACHI:

Members of the Sindh Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution on Tuesday recommending the provincial government to declare 18 years as the minimum age for marriage.

“No one determines the age of a girl at the time of her marriage,” said Muttahida Qaumi Movement MPA Rana Ansar who moved the resolution. “We demand that a mechanism should be devised which entails a harsh punishment and heavy fine against those involved in child marriages.”



Along with the resolution, a bill on child marriages, The Child Marriage Protection Bill 2013, was presented by Pakistan Peoples Party’s MPA Sharmila Faruqui. “After 84 years, an amendment is being made to this law,” she said, adding that child marriages create many health complications for young girls.

“The chances of a pregnancy resulting in death are much higher among minor girls than those in their 20s. The child marriage contracted or solemnised after the law is passed shall be declared null, void.”

MPA Mir Nadir Magsi, who leads the Magsi tribe, pointed out that all aspects must be taken into consideration. “We are dealing with an issue where minor girls are forced to marry elderly men, and especially to rivals as compensation.”

The lawmakers, however, were temporarily sidetracked from the topic of child marriages by the debate on whose bill was ‘better’. Women Development Minister Rubina Saadat Qaimkhani was quick to dismiss Faruqui’s bill by calling it “ineffective”.

“Some people dream overnight and bring the bill next day - this is not the way for effective legislation. I have been working on this issue for the last ten years and we have consulted with different stakeholders and prepared a comprehensive bill which will be presented in the session soon,” she said, suggesting that Faruqui consult with her so that one joint bill could be passed on this issue.

Of dowries and wedding presents

Making most of the private member day when MPAs are given the opportunity to present their legislations, Faruqui moved two more bills. The first one, Sindh Marriage Functions (Prohibition of ostentatious display and wasteful expenses), asked the government to take necessary steps to prohibit ostentatious displays at weddings and implement the “one-dish” law.

The second bill, Prohibition of Dowry Bill, was introduced to eliminate the practice of dowry. “The pressure of meeting the in-laws’s demands of dowry has forced many girls to commit suicide,” she said, adding that any person giving or taking dowry shall be punishable with imprisonment for at least seven years. “The law will also ban giving and receiving wedding gifts exceeding the amount of Rs50,000.”

Moving on from weddings…

MQM’s Naheed Begum brought the crucial topic of increasing petroleum price to the forefront, asking the government to reduce the price hikes as it adversely affects the life of the public. “The federal government is going to raise [petroleum] rates from Rs2 to Rs4 in October. We ask the Sindh government to approach the federal government to refrain from this practice for the sake of its people,” she said. The resolution was passed unanimously .

Another resolution, moved by MQM MPA Muhammad Dilawal Qureshi, was passed to restrict the movement of heavy vehicles in the city, especially the residential areas, from 5am to midnight. Qureshi said that the oil tankers, trucks and other heavy machinery are a nuisance in the city and cause accidents and pollution. “Government should pay heed to this matter.”

The topic of establishing fire brigade stations equipped with sufficient fire tenders and other facilities was also raised. “There are 104 fire tenders in Karachi but only 40 vehicles are working while the rest are out of order,” said MQM MPA, Waseemud Din Qureshi while introducing the resolution which was passed unanimously.

The session was adjourned till today [Wednesday].

Published in The Express Tribune, September 25^th, 2013.