The Sindh Assembly unanimously passed a resolution on Tuesday, calling upon the government to fix a uniform legal age of marriage of 18 years for both girls and boys across Pakistan, reaffirming Sindh’s leadership in protecting children’s rights and ending child marriage nationwide.
The resolution welcomed the assent of President Asif Ali Zardari to the Child Marriage Restraint Bill, 2025, for the Islamabad Capital Territory, which declares 18 years as the minimum legal age for marriage.
The resolution also applauded the Balochistan Assembly for passing the Child Marriage Prohibition Bill, 2025, setting the same standard across the province and criminalising child marriage.
The resolution proudly recalled that Sindh was the first province to enact such legislation through the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2013, reflecting its long-standing commitment to protecting the dignity, welfare and future of children, especially girls.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MPA Maleeha Manzoor, who moved the resolution, lauded the PPP leadership for spearheading these historic reforms across Pakistan. “Under the leadership of the PPP, landmark child marriage laws have now been enacted in Sindh, at the federal level and in Balochistan, paving the way for nationwide legal harmonisation.”
Highlighting Pakistan’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the resolution emphasised the urgent need for legal uniformity across provinces to ensure equal protection for every child in the country.
“A child remains a child regardless of province or region, and uniform legislation is not just a legal necessity, it is a moral and constitutional responsibility as well.”
The House reaffirmed that harmonising child marriage laws nationwide is essential to uphold Pakistan’s constitutional guarantees and strengthen international commitments, and urged the remaining provinces to enact the much-needed reforms to ensure the physical and mental well-being of every child.
Honey-trapped
The Provincial Assembly of Sindh was informed on Tuesday that no one is being held by dacoit gangs operating in the riverine belt bordering Punjab and Balochistan.
However, Home and Law Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar warned that an unknown number of people are believed to be trapped in the riverine stretch from Ghotki to Sadiqabad after being lured by criminal gangs through fake marriage proposals, often made using women’s voices during telephone conversations.
Lanjar shared these details while responding to a resolution tabled by Jamaat-e-Islami MPA Muhammad Farooq regarding the deteriorating law and order situation in Sindh. The House rejected the resolution by a majority vote.
Lanjar revealed that the authorities recently intercepted 13 suspicious phone calls, enabling them to alert the targeted individuals before they could be deceived. “People from all provinces are falling prey to this honey-trap tactic,” he said.
“Anyone travelling from Karachi to Kashmore or Ghotki for what they believe to be a marriage arrangement must understand: there is no marriage waiting for them — only captivity at the hands of dacoits.”
He urged the media to play its role in repeatedly warning the public about these predatory tactics, and confirmed that the police would soon mount a dedicated operation to recover those already trapped by gangs in Kashmore and Ghotki.
He also appealed to the Punjab government, particularly the chief minister, to prevent criminals expelled from Sindh’s riverine zone from seeking refuge in areas of the Bahawalpur division.
On broader security issues, he asserted that travelling on the motorway and inter-city highways across Sindh is entirely safe, without the need for security convoys. He, however, claimed that a security convoy is required for night-time travelling on the motorway in the Punjab region after crossing the Kashmore area in Sindh.
He also claimed a 37 percent reduction in street crime in Karachi compared to last year. “Karachi was once ranked the world’s fifth most dangerous city, but it now stands at 120th. Except for one attack on Chinese nationals, the city has witnessed no major terror incidents recently.”
The home and law minister concluded that the law enforcement agencies of Sindh remain fully vigilant, having recently arrested potential suicide bombers in proactive counter-terrorism operations.
Unesco recognition
Sindh’s centuries-old musical instrument, the Boreendo, has been officially recognised by the UN Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organisation (Unesco) as a heritage asset, the provincial government announced.
Culture and Tourism Minister Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah informed the PA that Unesco conferred the honour during its meeting held earlier in the day in New Delhi, India.
Shah said the Boreendo, a wind instrument historically associated with the ancient civilisation of Mohenjo-Daro, represents an invaluable chapter of Sindh’s cultural identity. “There’s only one expert in the entire world who can play the Boreendo, and he lives in Sindh,” he noted, underscoring the rarity and cultural fragility of the instrument.
He added that the Sindh government had formally written to Unesco, requesting the Boreendo’s inclusion in the World Heritage List, which has now been approved.
Calling the development “a moment of joy for all of Pakistan, and a great honour for the Sindh Culture and Tourism Department”, he emphasised the government’s commitment to preserving and promoting the region’s cultural heritage.
He revealed that the government is also pursuing heritage recognition for the Sindhi Ajrak, another powerful symbol of Sindhi identity. “We will continue to play our part in protecting and highlighting Sindh’s ancient cultural heritage and artistic traditions.”
