Senate green lights bill against underage marriages

ISLAMABAD: The Senate passed, with majority vote, a bill to amend the child marriage restraint act 1929.

According to the amendment, marriage under 18 years can lead to a fine of Rs200,000 and three years of strict punishment for facilitators.

Senator Sherry Rehman presented the bill to be passed unanimously, however, Senator Ghafoor Haidri raised an objection saying the bill should be sent to Islamic Ideology Council (IIC) for further deliberation.

Following the debate on the bill, the Senate chairman sought voting and passed the bill with opposition of five votes.

The Senate Standing Committee for Human Rights had  approved the Child Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Bill 2018 on Jan 30.

Earlier, Senator Sherry Rehman had pointed out that after every 20 minutes, a woman dies in Pakistan of maternity-related complications and that out of every 100 females, 40 percent are married below the age of 18.

She had further highlighted that female-related issues were more alarming in Pakistan as compared to even Afghanistan and Yemen.

The Sindh Assembly has already passed the same bill without any hindrance at any forum so.