In Pakistan, the legal age for marriage is 18 for males but only 16 for females, even though international standards recognise 18 as the minimum age for both genders. Sindh province made strides in 2013 by passing a law to raise the marriage age to 18 for both boys and girls, but this change hasn't been applied nationwide.
Pakistan has one of the highest rates of child marriage globally. Reports indicate that around 30% of girls in Pakistan are married before they turn 18. UNICEF data shows that 18.9 million girls in Pakistan are married before 18, and 4.6 million before they reach 16.
The problem is deeply rooted in cultural, traditional, and societal norms, particularly in regions like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit Baltistan.
Activists have urged the government to implement strict measures and harsh punishments to deter child marriages.
A recent incident in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, highlights the ongoing issue. Police arrested a 72-year-old man for attempting to marry a 12-year-old girl. The authorities intervened before the nikkah (marriage contract) could take place. The girl’s father, Alam Syed, had agreed to sell his daughter to the elderly groom, Habib Khan, for 500,000 Pakistani rupees. While Habib Khan was arrested, Alam Syed managed to escape.
