During a seminar on combatting the menace of child marriage, the Chairman of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), Dr. Qibla Ayaz has observed that after extensive discussions on underage marriage, the council had concluded that it should not be solely considered a religious matter. According to him, the issue of underage marriages should also be viewed in the broader societal and cultural perspective, while the gateway to interpretation (Ijtihad) in social matters should always remain open by the all segments of the society.
Early marriages in Pakistani society are common phenomena and old aged family tradition which have detrimental consequences, both for individuals and the broader community. Some of the key issues associated with this evil practice include illiteracy, discontinuation of education for children at an early age, especially for young girls. This limits their future opportunities and economic independence. There have been serious social, physical and mental health issues along with societal and family problems in our society due to the ever growing trend of early marriages, which the common population links with Islamic culture and religion.
Child marriage often led to economic and social depression due to economic dependecny and reduced decision making power of the under aged newly married couple. This practice contributes to a higher birth rate, which strains resources and services, such as education, healthcare and employment. Historically, the young girls in rural areas were often subjected to early marriages, which merits community debates and counseling with the couple as well as parents to ascertain pros and cons of this social evil that had shaped into necessity in our society. The government of Pakistan and relevant institutions are endeavoring hard to tackle this problem through legal reforms, educational initiatives, and awareness campaigns. It’s important to continue working toward ending the curse of early marriages and promoting the well-being and empowerment of young individuals in the society, while local politicians, area notables as well as religious scholars should be involved to motivate and indoctrinate the public on this serious issue, so no innocent girl pay a lifelong price for that social evil in the future.
