Lawmakers divided over bill to set marriage age to 18

By News DeskISLAMABAD: Lawmakers were divided on Tuesday over a bill which aims to set the minimum age of marriage to 18 years after the amendment was introduced in the National Assembly on Tuesday.The amendment to the Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929 was introduced by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani after a majority of members granted its tabling. Vankwani put before the House the Child Marriage Restraint Bill, 2019 — which will amend the 1929 Act.There was vigorous debate over the bill as most women lawmakers supported its introduction while many male members were reluctant to lend their support. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan suggested the bill be referred to the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), while Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari endorsed the introduction of the bill in the House.A bill about creation of Hazara province introduced by MNAs Ali Khan Jadoon, Uzma Riaz and Saleh Muhammad was also tabled in the House and sent to the relevant committee. Another bill related to establishment of the Hazara province and formation of commission on creation of new provinces tabled by MNAs Murtaza Javed Abbasi, Afreen Khan, Muhammad Sajjad, Ahsan Iqbal, Marriyum Aurangzeb and Rana Tanveer Hussain was also approved and sent to the committee for further consideration.Later, Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri, who was chairing the session, sent a bill moved by Noor Alam Khan to further amend the Control of Narcotic Substances Act, 1997 to the relevant standing committee after the House allowed its introduction. The bill was about an increase in punishments for those involved in the selling of drugs.The House also referred the bill of Kishwer Zehra to amend articles 51, 76 and 106 of the Constitution and bill of Tahira Aurangzeb to amend the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) Ordinance, 1981 to the committees.The bill, introduced by Kishwer Zehra, Iqbal Muhammad Ali, Usama Qadri and Salahuddin to amend the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues was also sent to the committee. After amendment in the bill, the donors of organs will be identified with addition of a column in their identity cards.

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