In Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, a 70-year-old man has been apprehended by the police for marrying a 13-year-old girl, which has raised serious concerns. The girl’s father was responsible for arranging the marriage, and upon receiving this information, the authorities took immediate action.
Not only were the elderly groom and the father of the minor girl taken into custody, but also the person who officiated the marriage and the witnesses. Meanwhile, the young girl was taken to the hospital for a medical examination.
This incident highlights the ongoing issue of child marriage in Pakistan, which goes against the constitutional protections for fundamental rights, especially those of women and children.
Despite the Marriage Restraint Act of 1929, which sets the minimum age for marriage at 16 for girls and 18 for boys in Pakistan, efforts to raise the minimum age to 18 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have faced obstacles. Concerns over potential resistance from conservative groups have hindered the progress of legislation in this regard.
