SUKKUR-
A police raid in Rohri area near Sukkur saved a 12-year-old from being married off to a 70-year-old man, a private news channel reported.
According to the report, a police team raided the ceremony and rescued the minor girl before her nikkah with the old man.
The 70-year-old groom managed to escape.
Child marriage is a frequent practice in parts of the country with Sindh having the highest number of reported cases.
According to Institute of Social Justice (ISJ), 75 cases of child marriage were reported by different media agencies in 2012.
Weak legislation, lack of implementation of the existing laws, children being treated as commodities and feudal structure of society are some of the major reason behind the act of child marriage, according to a report by ISJ.
In March 2014, Member National Assembly Marvi Memon tabled a resolution seeking to make amendments to the Child Marriage Restraint Act (CMRA); raising the prohibitory age for a girl child to 18 years and increasing the fine and jail sentences for guardians, clerics and spouses involved in child marriages.
The bill stands pending for approval.
We had success in Sindh. The Sindh Assembly passed the Child Marriage Restraint Amendment Bill and brought changes as envisaged by human rights activists. It is hoped that same will be passed in the National Assembly. However, there is dire need to to establish monitoring mechanism on child marriages. Also services and protection should be provided to children who become victims of child marriage.
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