PESHAWAR: At just 13, Aleeza (name changed to protect privacy) wanted to play with peers and live a carefree life, but like many girls of that age, a marriage proposal came knocking on her family’s door.

The little girl’s aunt approached her mother, suggesting to marry her off five years down the line. But promises, it turned out, could be as fragile as a child’s dream. The aunt changed her mind and the wedding was pushed forward, a stark contrast to the innocent life that the girl deserved.

The wedding took place and soon the teenage bride was expecting her first child. The joy of motherhood was immediately overshadowed by the harsh truth of her situation.

The doctor warned that her young age had put her in a life-threatening situation. Despite risks, she had three children one after another.

Activist says forcing minors into marriage risks their rights, health and opportunities

“Hearing many people in the hospital say that her condition is very serious puts me in a stressful situation,” Aleeza’s mother said.

Now, years later, the consequences of early childbearing have taken their toll. Her health has deteriorated, a constant reminder of the choices made and the life taken from the innocent girl.

According to child rights activist Imran Takkar, child marriage is a multifaceted issue that undercut the fundamental rights of children. He said every child had the right to protection, education and a future based on their own informed choices.

“When a girl or boy is forced into marriage before reaching maturity, their rights, health and opportunities to grow are put at risk. This leads to broken education, early pregnancies and lives shaped by decisions they never made,” he said.

The legal landscape surrounding child marriage in Pakistan varies across provinces. While Sindh, Islamabad and Balochistan have aligned with the United Nation Convention on the Rights of the Child, setting the marriageable age at 18 for both boys and girls, there are still disparities in other regions. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, the legal age to marry is 16 for girls and 18 for boys.

Pakistan is the home to over 19 million child brides, placing it among the top 10 countries with the highest number of women married as children. Alarmingly, 18 per cent of girls marry before their 18th birthday and four per cent before 15th, according to Unicef.

Medical experts warn that child marriage leads to a range of psychological and health issues.

“Young brides often face complications during delivery, including birth trauma,” a doctor told Dawn. She said such girls also reported high levels of anxiety and depression, aggravated by trauma and major responsibilities like motherhood and family care.

“Most child marriages result in a lack of educational opportunities for girls,” she said.

The doctor said at an age when the girl was supposed to be running on the playground, she had to take responsibilities like adults.

The proposed KP Child Marriage Bill (CMRA), meant to replace the existing Child Marriage Restraint Act, presents both strengths and weaknesses.

Its strengths include advocacy from NGOs and stakeholders, setting the minimum marriage age to 18 for both genders. However, significant gaps remain, such as the absence of a comprehensive provincial law prohibiting marriage under 18.

The province’s current CMRA goes against international standards by defining a child as under 16 for girls and under 18 for boys in an act of gender discrimination. Moreover, the punishments for those facilitating child marriages are minimal, and the non-cognisable nature of the offence hinders timely intervention.

The age debate has become sensitive, with some religious scholars offering opinions on their own. JUI-F chief Mualana Fazlur Rehman took exception to declaring those under 18 minors, wondering which Islamic sect favours that definition.

Though laws are there, there is no way to enforce them in a society where social and religious beliefs often override legal injunctions. Parents often fudge or temper with age limits of their children to avoid legal action.

Published in Dawn, December 1st, 2025