By Our Correspondent
LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly hosted a Parliamentary Consultation on Ending Child Marriage in Punjab, bringing together parliamentary leadership, child protection authorities, legal experts, and development partners to review evidence, identify legislative gaps, and advance reforms aimed at protecting children’s rights.
The consultation was organized by the Parliamentary Development Unit, Punjab Assembly, in collaboration with UNFPA, reflecting a strong commitment to strengthening legal and institutional frameworks in the province.
The session opened with context setting and evidence sharing by Ms. Sarah Ahmad, Chairperson of the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau, Chairperson of the Special Committee on Gender Mainstreaming, and Convener of the Child Rights Caucus Punjab. She described child marriage as a constitutional, public health, and gender equality issue, citing data showing that thousands of girls are still married before the age of 18, with serious health, educational, and economic consequences.
Ms. Sarah Ahmad also outlined the key features of the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2024, currently under consideration by the Punjab Cabinet. She said the proposed legislation aims to set 18 years as the minimum legal age for both girls and boys, introduce stronger safeguards, and ensure strict accountability, while calling for political consensus to align Punjab with other provinces.
Concluding the consultation, Speaker of the Punjab Assembly Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan urged decisive action to end child marriage, emphasizing that the practice causes lifelong harm, undermines education, health, and consent, and continues due to social normalization. He stressed the need to address legal gaps to ensure equality, align provincial laws with constitutional principles and international commitments, and deliver enforceable outcomes.
The consultation also featured a screening of the film Salma: The Silent Scream and an Islamic jurisprudence perspective by Mr. Muaz Ali Shah, providing legal and religious clarity on age and consent. Reflections from members of the Punjab Assembly and an open discussion focused on strengthening legislative pathways, institutional coordination, and consensus building.
The session concluded with agreement on next steps to align provincial reforms with the national framework and advance collective action to end child marriage in Punjab.
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