child marriage - Page 10

SPARC State of Pakistan’s Children Report

“State of Children Report” is an annual publication produced by the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC), a non-governmental organization based in Pakistan. The report provides information on the situation of children in the country, covering various aspects such as health, education, violence against children, juvenile justice system, etc. The report is widely cited by…

The Age Of Consent And The Borders Of Belief

ICT Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2025 marks a pivotal step toward a safer, progressive Pakistan KARACHI. Child rights organisations and advocates, along with concerned citizens, have warmly welcomed the passage of recent legislation on child marriages, describing it as a landmark step toward protecting the rights and well-being of children.…

IHC Judgement on Child Marriage Case

Honourable Justice BABAR SATTAR of the The Islamabad High Court Issuing a…

Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929 and Jinnah

The Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929 was drafted by Quaid-i-Azam- Mohammad Ali…

Christians’ Marriage Age Bar Raised To 18

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on 22 July signed into law the Christian Marriage (Amendment) Act 2024, raising the minimum age for Christian men and women to eighteen years. The president accorded assent to the Act under Article 75 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan during a…

Parents Get Permanent Custody Of Teenage Girl

A family court has awarded permanent custody of a teenage girl who was reported kidnapped from Karachi in April 2022 but was later found to have purportedly contracted freewill marriage in Lahore, to her parents. Judge Salamat Ali Soomro granted an application filed by the girl’s parents — Syed Mehdi…

Child Marriage Plagues Minor Girls

The rocky years of adolescence are rarely a smooth sail for budding adults, with sudden physical, emotional, and psychological changes taking a huge toll on their overall wellbeing. While an awkward pimple or emotional breakdown might exhaust an average teenager coping with the upsetting effects of puberty, for minor girls…

A Silent Epidemic: Child Sexual Abuse in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Thirteen-year-old Asim* was quieter than usual when he returned to his home in Jhelum from a motorcycle mechanic’s workshop after completing his first day as a chotu – a term widely used for apprentices. His father, a rickshaw driver, noticed but casually asked about his day at his new workplace…

Attempt to marry 13-year-old girl to 72-year-old man foiled

Peshawar: According to a reported news, KP Police arrest elderly groom and nikah registrar, but the child bride’s father manages to escape. Police in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, thwarted an attempt by a 72-year-old man to marry a 13-year-old girl. According to police sources, in the Tangi area of…

Out-of-school children vulnerable to anxiety, depression, other mental health issues

KARACHI: Pakistan has the world’s second highest number of out-of-school children whose numbers have grown dramatically since 2021. Deprived of life’s basic necessities, these children are more vulnerable to stress, trauma, and social isolation, leading to anxiety, depression and other mental health issues, shared an expert on the second day…

MPA submits child marriage restraint bill in PA

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MPA Sobia Shahid on 7 June 2024 submitted Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Child Marriage Restraint Bill, 2024 to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Secretariat. She said the bill was aimed to make child marriage a cognisable offence, adding under the bill, whoever committed the offence would be punished with…

Child Marriage Bar to be set at 18 years: approved by Cabinet Committee

Lahore: The Punjab Government has proposed amendments to laws regarding child marriage for extending the term “child” to individuals under 18 years of age. The proposal was shred by Finance Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman during a meeting of the Cabinet Standing Committee on Legislation and Enforcement on 6th June 2024.…

700,000 children in Punjab are living on streets

LAHORE: Speakers at a seminar and panel discussion have called for more effective enforcement of existing laws and collective action to control child trafficking, child labour and child marriages. In the event organised by the Sustainable Social Development Organisation (SSDO), in collaboration with the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau (CPWB),…

Child Marriages – A Vicious Cycle of Poverty and Abuse

KARACHI: Despite being illegal, child marriages continue to affect millions of young lives, perpetuating cycles of poverty, gender bias, and inequality. According to a study, 18 percent of girls in Pakistan get married before the age of 18, leading to severe consequences on their health, education, and overall well-being. This…