A draft of “The Sindh Compulsory Marriage Act, 2021” was forwarded on Wednesday by MPA Syed Abdul Rasheed of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA). It proposes to make marriage compulsory for people over 18 years old.
The draft of the proposed bill stated that the parents of an adult who is not being married off after turning 18 will have to “submit an undertaking with justified reason of delay before the Deputy Commissioner of the District”.
Parents who fail to submit the undertaking would have to pay a fine of Rs500 each, it added. Additionally, Rasheed expressed the hope that all Sindh Assembly members would help in approving the bill for the “progress, happiness and facilitation of positive pathways” for the youth of the province.
A video statement released after the submission of the proposed bill. He said that societal ills, child rapes, immoral activities, and crime were rising in the country. “To control all of this according to the Shariat of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Islamic teachings, Muslim males and females have been given the right to marry after attaining puberty or after 18 years of age and fulfilling this is the responsibility of their guardians, especially their parents.”
‘Distancing from Islamic teaching’
He said obstacles in the way of marriages such as unemployment and high costs were a “result of distancing from Islamic teachings”. If we follow Islamic teachings, a lot of ease and blessings will descend upon the family, he added.
Listing the steps the government could take to make the process of marriage easier, he said there should be a ban on dowry and standard operating procedures (SOPs) regarding marriage ceremonies should be added to the bill. He claims it to end competition and lead to people adopting simplicity. Addressing the “obstacle of unemployment”, he said the problem was that “society’s tendency towards competition had spoiled a lot of legal and correct ways”.
“I believe that after 18 years of age if there is a reason [for not marrying], parents should submit an affidavit along with a commitment of the time the person would be married off,” he added.
Twitter condemns the bill
The crucial age of 18 is a time to acquire an education. It plays a significant role in developing society. Who will guarantee the socioeconomic condition of a couple that marries at the age of 18? Would the state take responsibility for the burden placed on the young couple and their families?
How can marriage end the rampant rape culture? Ironically, when the Senate panel passed a bill for the public hanging of rapists, it was strictly opposed.
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