Today: 30 May 2025
6 May 2021
2 mins read

Poverty in Pakistan linked to rising cases of child marriage

According to a recent report, the poverty rate in Pakistan has reached an alarming 31.3 per cent….reports Asian Lite News

Child marriage is the most horrifying among the many serious poverty-related issues plaguing Pakistan, experts said.

According to a recent report, the poverty rate in Pakistan has reached an alarming 31.3 per cent. One of the major concerns of the people is the marriage of their children, mainly because the underprivileged families seldom send their children to schools, reported The Nation.

The boys in these families start working from a very small age, while girls are trained for household work and married quickly, which inevitably lead to underage marriages.

Citing an organisation named Sahil, The Nation reported that a total of 119 cases of child marriages were reported, out of which 95 per cent were of girls and five per cent were of boys.

Other reasons of child marriages in Pakistan are culture, tribal traditions and exchange marriage. However, experts say that poverty is the gravest reason.

“In newly merged tribal districts and Malakund district, people take Rs 500,000 to Rs 2,000,000 from men wanting to marry their underage girls. Most of these men are wealthy and already married,” said Qaiser Khan, a political activist from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Also read:Internet freedom in Pakistan declined in 2020

As per a UNICEF report in 2020, 21 per cent girls in Pakistan get married before age of 18, while three per cent get married before turning 15, reported The Nation.

“The country has the sixth-highest number of child brides in the world (1,909,000). The median age of marriage is the lowest in rural areas and in Gilgit-Baltistan,” the report said.

Meanwhile, experts are now concerned that in near future, the situation might aggravate in the country, as the government has announced a complete lockdown in 20 cities of Punjab.

Many observers have said that the rising cases of child marriages are because they are done in the name of culture or even religion. The issues, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit Baltistan, have deep roots of ‘culture’, ‘norm’ and ‘tradition’.

“Early marriage affects the psychological well-being and intellectual, personal and social growth of the child… Robbed of happy childhood experiences, given an incomplete education that mars career prospects later, overburdened with responsibilities and subjected to domestic violence, there is an increased risk of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder in such children,” said Kishwar Enam, a paediatrician.

Activists have urged the government to take major steps to tackle the issue, including harsh punishments, according to The Nation. (ANI)

Also read:Pakistan to produce China’s vaccine

Previous Story

Taliban capture key district in northern Afghanistan

Next Story

Pak PM’s ‘accountability’ drive sought to settle political score

Latest from Asia News

White House: Israel OKs Gaza Truce

Hamas said Thursday that its leadership had received a new Gaza ceasefire proposal from Witkoff through the mediators and was studying it…reports Asian Lite News The White House said that Israel has

Islamabad-Ankara-Baku Axis Sharpens Against India

Both Turkey and Azerbaijan have openly expressed solidarity with Pakistan and backed Islamabad in its military standoff with India, this month….reports Asian Lite News The evolving alliance between Islamabad, Ankara, and Baku

Qatar Stands With India on Terror

Khulaifi conveyed Qatar’s solidarity with India and its policy of zero tolerance against terrorism for regional stability…reports Asian Lite News Qatar’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mohamed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi expressed

UAE bakery aid reaches Gaza

The convoy is a crucial component of the UAE’s ongoing humanitarian strategy under Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, which prioritises urgent food aid. A major humanitarian relief convoy has successfully entered the Gaza

Erdogan’s Turkey Turns on India

Under Erdogan, Turkey-Pakistan ties have transformed into structured military cooperation, encompassing defence production, training, joint operations, and strategic alignment….writes Baidya Bikash Basu New Delhi: Under Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s rule, Turkey
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Countless Afghan kids work on streets due to poverty, war

The report also indicated a 37 per cent increase in

‘40% Population Lives Below Poverty Line in Pakistan’

The Washington-based lender unveiled the draft policy notes that it