ISLAMABAD: The Child Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Bill 2018 was moved in the Senate, proposing 18 years age for adulthood. After some hiccups, it was referred to the committee concerned for deliberations and report.
State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan while not completely opposing the bill, pointed out that the bill recommended rigorous imprisonment, which should not be part of it and that view of the Council of Islamic Ideology should also be sought on the proposed legislation with particular reference to the puberty issue.
He emphasised that marriage should be promoted unlike in the West, wherein, trend of wedding was subsiding and being replaced with illegal relationship, running away from proper marriage.
The minister also proposed that judges should be given discretion on award of punishment on its violations. The bill was moved by PPP Senator Sherry Rehman. The bill mentions that a minor would be a person under the age of 18. It shall extend to the Islamabad Capital Territory and come into force at once.
It provides that a person marrying a minor is liable to pay Rs0.2 million and serve three years’ rigorous imprisonment. Moreover, its states that a court, upon receiving a complaint, can issue a stay order to stall the marriage.
Senator Sherry said that in order to discourage underage marriages, legislation should be carried out. Senators Mushtaq Ahmad of JI and Faiz Muhammad of JUI-Fazl insisted that no effort should be encouraged against weddings, as it runs contrary to Islamic teachings. They also wanted the Council of Islamic Ideology input prior to its referral to the House committee. However, the bill was referred to the committee concerned.
Senator Sherry said that after every 20 minutes, a woman dies in Pakistan of maternity-related complications and that out of every 100 females, 40 are married below the age of 18. She read out part of a speech, delivered by the Quaid-e-Azam in 1929 against under age marriages in the then assembly, which led to passage of the Child Marriage Restraint Act same year.
She pointed out female-related issues were more alarming in Pakistan as compared to even Afghanistan and Yemen. Former chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani also moved a bill to amend the Constitution: The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2018, (amendment of artile 27). The proposed legislation pertains to the quota system prescribed in the Constitution, 1973 to ensure representation of underdeveloped provinces, expired on August 13, 2013.
“This amendment aims at providing 20 years extension to the time period prescribed for quota in the proviso of Article 27 of the Constitution. The objective is to provide a cover to the appointments made from August, 2013 and reservation of quotas for further recruitment by the federal and provincial governments,” says the statement of objects and reasons. The bill was referred to the House committee.