One of the major issues in Pakistan is one of child marriage. According to the survey at least 708 girls and boys were forced into early marriages in Pakistan. It is estimated that 21% of girls in Pakistan are married before the age of 18. Child marriage in Pakistan is connected with tradition, culture, or customary practices. It sometimes involve the transfer of money, settlement of debts or exchange of daughters (Vani / Swara or Watta Satta) sanctioned by a Jirga or Panchayat (council of elders from the community).
In the year of 2012, as many as 276 innocent boys and girls were tortured through this early marriage tradition. Islam has given the rights to girls and insists on the importance of their consent. In spite of that, they are married off at the early age of seven where their innocent minds cannot even comprehend the sanctity of this bond. It is a heinous crime when in Pakistan girls are married to older men. Apart from the legal injustice done to the girls, this issue is the cause of several health threats for young women as well. One maternal death case occurs after every 18 minutes in the country. In such cases, mostly pregnant women are incapable of tolerating the pressure in their birth canals; in fact their reproductive organs are not developed well enough to deliver a baby normally and hence it becomes the cause of their death.
In most cases early marriages takes place due to poverty and illiteracy. These factors compel hundreds of families to marry off the girls once the affordability of feeding and clothing them becomes a burden.
It is accepted worldwide and the law clearly explains that 18 years of age is the legal age for marriage. In Pakistan, they dont pay heed to this law. The police need to arrest and investigate such cases. Increasing punishment for such criminal activity would discourage this practice. Early marriages should be strictly forbidden considering also that Pakistan has the highest rate of population.
The government should ensure the implementation of the underage marriage law to end this brutality and should take some measures to curb this trend and launch a campaign to discourage child marriages in rural areas.
USMAN JAVAID,
Islamabad, December 8.