Sindh, Pakistan: Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has initiated an investigation into child marriages in the Dadu district, following recent media reports on the issue, as reported by Dawn News.
He has directed Hyderabad's commissioner to prepare a comprehensive report on the marriages of 45 underage girls in Khan Muhammad Mallah village. These marriages have been occurring since the previous monsoon season, with a significant 15 of them taking place in May and June of this year.
Parents of the affected girls have stated that they expedited their daughters' marriages, often in exchange for money, as a means to "protect them from poverty." This urgent measure highlights the broader socio-economic difficulties faced by many families in the area.
The Chief Minister has ordered the creation of a committee to thoroughly investigate the situation in the village. He has requested a detailed report covering the social, economic, and legal circumstances of the girls involved, aiming for a comprehensive resolution of the issue, as reported by Dawn News.
"What is the current situation of the married girls? Please provide a report that addresses every aspect so that the problem can be resolved," the Chief Minister instructed the commissioner, according to an official statement.
Additionally, the Chief Minister has requested that the report include recommendations and details on whether the married girls come from families affected by recent floods, as well as the amount of aid they have received.
Child marriages remain a persistent issue in parts of Pakistan, which ranks sixth globally for the number of girls married before turning 18, according to government data published in December, as noted by Dawn.
The legal marriage age varies from 16 to 18 across different regions, but enforcement is often weak. UNICEF has reported "significant progress" in reducing child marriage; however, extreme weather events, such as the 2022 floods, have intensified the problem.
According to a report assessing the impact of the floods, "We expect to see an 18 percent increase in the prevalence of child marriage, which effectively erases five years of progress."
