The documents confirmed that she was only 13 years old.
An attempted child marriage involving a 13-year-old girl in Karachi’s Hijrat Colony was stopped on Friday after swift police intervention.
The Civil Lines police, working alongside the Women and Child Protection Cell, raided the venue just as preparations for the ceremony were underway.
The authorities had received credible intelligence that a child marriage was being planned, prompting immediate action.
Officials from the Women and Child Protection Cell alerted District South SSP Mehtor Ali, who instructed officers to act without delay.
A team was dispatched to the location and reached in time to halt the proceedings before the marriage could be formalised.
According to police, the girl’s family was asked to provide documents verifying her age.
The documents confirmed that she was only 13 years old.
Based on this verification and the girl’s statement, police arrested the parents and others allegedly involved in organising the marriage.
A case was registered under Sections 3 and 5 of the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2013.
Section 511 of the Pakistan Penal Code was also invoked, which addresses attempts to commit an offence.
The Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act prohibits the marriage of anyone under the age of 18.
It includes penalties for individuals facilitating such unions.
Authorities have reiterated their commitment to enforcing these laws and protecting minors from forced or illegal marriages.
Underage marriage remains a serious issue in Pakistan, particularly in rural and underserved urban areas.
Many young girls in rural villages in the country are married off in their early teens.
While laws exist to criminalise the practice, implementation often faces social and systemic challenges.
Recently, significant progress was made in Islamabad, where a landmark child marriage law was enacted.
This legislation officially sets the legal marriage age at 18 and establishes punishments for those who arrange or support child marriages.
The law is being hailed as a major legal step toward broader national reform.
The law is the result of years of advocacy by civil society organisations, survivors of child marriage, and lawmakers.
All of them are pushing for stronger child protection measures across Pakistan.
In the Karachi case, police say further investigations are underway to determine whether others in the community were complicit.
Authorities are also expected to brief child protection agencies to ensure the young girl receives proper care and support.
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