Sindh govt distances itself from bill seeking to make marriage compulsory for people over 18

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Sindh Government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab. Photo: Files

  • Murtaza Wahab says bill was introduced by MMA lawmaker Abdur Rasheed.
  • Wahab says bill has nothing to do with the Sindh government and will be rejected by PPP members.
  • The bill will likely be rejected by the provincial assembly now that the PPP has a majority in the legislature.


The Sindh government on Thursday distanced itself from the bill introduced in the provincial assembly making it mandatory for everyone to get married by the age of 18.

Provincial government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab said that the bill was introduced by Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) lawmaker Abdur Rasheed for "making marriage compulsory for all adults and proposing punishment against parents whose children above 18 remain unmarried".

Read more: Sindh MPA submits bill seeking to make marriage compulsory for people over 18 years

"This bill has nothing to do with Sindh government and will be rejected by PPP members," said Wahab. 

The bill will likely be rejected by the provincial assembly as the PPP has a majority in the legislature. 

Sindh MPA submits bill

A private bill was submitted in the Sindh Assembly a day earlier seeking to make it compulsory on parents to marry off their children after they turn 18 or face Rs500 fine for violating the proposed law.

The bill is called the Sindh Compulsory Marriage Act, 2021.

Read more: Child marriage is illegal in Sindh, but not in other provinces

A draft of the bill was submitted by MMA's Syed Abdul Rasheed in the secretariat of the assembly.

The proposed bill makes it compulsory for every person turning 18 to marry.

Rs500 fine in case of failure

The proposed law would make it binding upon parents to submit an affidavit in the office of the deputy commissioner, explaining why they are unable to marry off their children at the age of 18 years.

In case of failure to submit any such affidavit, the parents could face Rs500 fine for each of their unmarried children.

Read more: Child courts established in Karachi's Malir and East districts

After submitting his proposed bill, the MMA lawmaker, in a video message, said that his bill was in accordance with the teachings of Islam, which called for marriage after attaining adulthood.

Austerity in marriage functions

The government should introduce laws and make efforts to ensure austerity in marriage functions, he added, hoping that his proposed law would be helpful in supporting the youth and curbing immoral activities in society.

He said the government should play its part to make marriages an easy task with no undue burden on parents in accordance with the teachings of Islam.