IHC sets age limit for marriages

Islamabad: Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday barred children below the age of 18 to marry, giving clarity on the underage marriage bill.

The IHC bench headed by Justice Babar Sattar issued a detailed verdict regarding the underage marriage bill and ruled that children below the age of 18-year-old could not be married.

The Islamabad High Court in its detailed verdict stated that any marriage that involves a child below the age of 18 will be prohibited and even if a child has become a witness to a marriage ceremony then his witness will be declared null and void. The court, however, did not rule on the age of puberty.

In April 2019, the Senate passed, with a majority vote, a bill to amend the child marriage restraint act 1929.

According to the amendment, marriage under 18 years can lead to a fine of Rs 200,000 and three years of strict punishment for facilitators.

Senator Sherry Rehman presented the bill to be passed unanimously, however, Senator Ghafoor Haidri raised an objection saying the bill should be sent to Islamic Ideology Council (IIC) for further deliberation.

Following the debate on the bill, the Senate chairman sought voting and passed the bill with opposition of five votes.

The Senate Standing Committee for Human Rights had approved the Child Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Bill 2018 on January 30.