Balochistan Assembly Passes Child Marriage Prohibition Bill Amid Opposition Protests

**Quetta:** The **Balochistan Assembly** has passed the **Child Marriage Prohibition Bill 2025**, despite strong protests and opposition disruption during the session. The bill, presented by **Provincial Health Minister Bakht Muhammad Kakr** under the chairmanship of **Speaker Captain (R) Abdul Khaliq Achakzai**, aims to set the minimum marriage age at **18 years** and protect children, especially girls, from early marriages.

During the session, opposition members, including **Leader of the Opposition Mir Younus Aziz Zehri** and **Assembly Member Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rahman Baloch**, opposed the bill, claiming it contradicted Islamic teachings. They protested vocally, with Zehri reportedly tearing a copy of the session agenda.

In response, **Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti** urged members to express their views respectfully, emphasizing that the bill aligns with the party manifesto and is not contrary to Islam. He highlighted that similar legislation has been passed at the **national level** and includes exemptions only where legal. Despite the opposition uproar, the assembly approved the bill.

**Provincial Minister for Planning and Development, Zahoor Ahmed Baloch**, welcomed the bill, stating that under the guidance of **PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari** and the vision of **Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto**, the legislation brings Balochistan in line with other provinces and the federal government, ensuring protection of children’s rights and fostering their education and future employment opportunities.

Civil society and women’s rights organizations, including **Woman Foundation** and **United Nations Women**, praised the historic legislation as a major step for safeguarding children, particularly girls, from forced early marriages and related health and social issues. They called for **strict enforcement** of the law to guarantee its intended impact.

This landmark legislation sets a clear **minimum marriage age of 18** and prescribes **strict penalties** for violations, marking a significant victory for children’s rights in Balochistan.