KARACHI: Police in Hijrat Colony stopped the marriage of a 13-year-old girl and arrested her parents and others involved in the attempt.
The joint operation was carried out by Civil Lines Police and the Women and Child Protection Cell. Officials reached the location in time and prevented the nikkah from taking place.
According to South Police spokesperson, the action was taken after receiving a tip-off. The Women and Child Protection Cell informed SSP South , who instructed Civil Lines Police to take immediate action.
During the raid, police verified the girl’s age through official documents, which confirmed she was only 13. Based on her statement and other evidence, a case (No. 97/2025) was registered under Sections 3 and 5 of the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act and Section 511 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
SSP South said the police will continue taking action without discrimination to protect children and stop illegal customs.
It is worth mentioning that the Sindh Child Marriages Restraint Act 2013 declares marriage under the age of 18 as illegal and punishable by law. Sindh remains the only province in Pakistan where the legal minimum age for marriage is set at 18 for both boys and girls.
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Under this law, anyone found arranging, facilitating, or taking part in a child marriage can face legal action, including fines and imprisonment. The primary purpose of the Act is to protect children—especially girls—from early and forced marriages, which can seriously affect their health, interrupt their education, and harm their overall development.
In a recent development, President Asif Ali Zardari signed the Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2025, which also sets 18 as the minimum legal age for marriage in the federal capital. The new law includes punishments for those involved in underage marriages.
The bill was welcomed by civil society organisations and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which had presented it in both houses of parliament. However, some religious groups, including the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) and the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), opposed the bill. The JUI-F has announced it will challenge the law on all platforms.
A notification confirming the president’s approval was shared on social media by PPP Senator Sherry Rehman.
