Sherry commends Balochistan for legislation on child marriage

ISLAMABAD: Vice President Pakistan Peoples Party and parliamentary leader of PPP in the Senate, Senator Sherry Rehman, has lauded the Balochistan government, provincial assembly, and Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti for taking a historic step towards ending child marriage by advancing crucial legislation aimed at blocking the practice.

The Sindh government had passed Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act 2013, folalowed by the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) in 2025, which she tirelessly worked for, she noted in a statement on Tuesday.

Sherry Rehman urged Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) to enact the same protections to safeguard the rights and future of young girls across the country. She emphasised that ending child marriage was only the first step in improving the lives of girls and women nationwide. “The next step is expanding women’s access to healthcare, educating families on birth spacing, and strengthening nutrition and education systems as public goods for all children,” she stated.

“When women are empowered to make adult life choices, they contribute significantly to the economy, raise healthier children, promote literacy, and protect the environment,” she added.

Citing critical national indicators, Senator Rehman expressed concern over Pakistan’s troubling maternal and child health outcomes. “Pakistan has the highest infant mortality rate in South Asia, with 53.54 deaths per 1,000 live births. Over 40 per cent of children under five are stunted due to malnutrition—often the tragic result of young mothers who lack education and access to proper healthcare.”

Referencing the UNFPA Annual Report 2024, she added: “Every 50 minutes, a woman in Pakistan dies from complications related to pregnancy or childbirth. Much of this is directly attributable to underage marriage, where girls have no control over their nutrition, their health, or even the fate of their own children.”

Sherry Rehman also underscored the inconsistency in Pakistan’s legal framework regarding age and maturity. “The Juvenile Justice System Act 2018 defines a ‘juvenile’ as anyone under the age of 18, who is not considered mature enough to be treated as an adult in the justice system. Then how can an individual under 18 be deemed mature enough to be married?”

Invoking the legacy of Pakistan’s founding father Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, she referred to his 1929 speech in the then Indian Legislative Assembly supporting the original Child Marriage Restraint Act. “If we claim to uphold Jinnah’s vision, we must champion the very principles he fought for: the right of girls to live, grow, and thrive,” she emphasised reiterating her message: “When we empower women, we empower Pakistan.”