Petition filed in PHC to raise girls' marriage age to 18 in KP
“Two minor girls have petitioned the Peshawar High Court to raise the minimum marriage age for girls in KP from 16 to 18, citing child rights and UNICEF statisti…”
PPESHAWAR —A constitutional petition has been filed in the Peshawar High Court seeking to raise the minimum legal age for girls' marriage in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from 16 to 18 years.
The petition has been filed by two minor girls working for children's rights, who have argued that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the only province in Pakistan where the minimum legal age for girls' marriage remains 16 years, while Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan have raised the age limit to 18.
The petitioners have requested the court to direct the provincial government to introduce necessary legislation and take effective measures to prevent child marriages and establish 18 years as the minimum legal age for girls' marriage in the province.
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The petition further states that despite several promises and announcements over the past two decades, effective legislation to prevent child marriages has not been introduced in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. the petition, approximately 21 percent of girls in Pakistan are married before reaching the age of 18. Such marriages have negative consequences for their education, health, safety and future.
The petition maintains that effective legislation is essential to prevent child marriages and protect the fundamental rights of girls.
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