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Islamabad Child Marriage Restraint Bill Signed into Law

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has officially signed the Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Bill into law, making it unlawful for children under 18 to get married in the capital city. This move has been seen as a significant step forward for child rights in Pakistan, despite opposition from some religious factions. The bill has been met with widespread praise from politicians, celebrities, and social media users, who see it as a major victory for the country's children.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Bill was signed into law by President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday, making it unlawful for children under 18 to get married in Islamabad.
  • The bill had been passed unanimously by both houses of parliament and had reached the presidency on May 27.
  • The move was met with opposition from some religious factions, including the Council of Islamic Ideology, which ruled that classifying marriage under the age of 18 as rape did not conform with Islamic law.
  • The bill follows the Sindh Child Marriages Restraint Act of 2013, which was enacted in 2013.
  • The Federal Shariat Court dismissed a petition challenging the Sindh Act in 2023, ruling that the law was not against the injunctions of Islam.
  • Senator Sherry Rehman, who posted the notification about the Islamabad bill on X, praised President Zardari for his decision and thanked those involved in making the bill possible.
  • Actress Saba Qamar, who serves as the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) national ambassador for child rights, celebrated the news on her Instagram story, calling it a "beautiful victory".
  • Actor Zara Noor Abbas also shared the news on her Instagram story, writing "about time".
  • Writer Bina Shah congratulated the brave women of Pakistan "who fought across party lines to see the Child Marriage Restraint Act [...] signed into law yesterday".

Statistics:

  • The bill was passed unanimously by both houses of parliament.
  • The Federal Shariat Court dismissed a petition challenging the Sindh Child Marriages Restraint Act in 2023.
  • The Sindh Act was enacted in 2013.
  • The Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Bill has been signed into law by President Asif Ali Zardari.

Sources:

  • "Pakistan’s President Signs Bill Banning Child Marriages in Islamabad" (The New York Times)
  • "Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Bill" ( Presidency of Pakistan)
  • "Federal Shariat Court rejects plea challenging Child Marriage Restraint Act" (The Express Tribune)
  • "Saba Qamar celebrates 'beautiful victory' as Pakistan bans child marriages" (Hindustan Times)
  • "Zara Noor Abbas praises Islamabad's move to ban child marriages" (Geo News)
  • "Writer Bina Shah congratulates brave women of Pakistan for fighting to pass Child Marriage Restraint Act" (Dawn)

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