PESHAWAR: Lawmakers and civil society representatives at a provincial consultation expressed concern over delay in enactment of a law restraining child marriages in the province and called upon the government to push forward the draft bill for cabinet approval and subsequent tabling in the provincial assembly.

The high-level provincial consultation was convened to deliberate on the passage of long pending Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2019.

The consultation was jointly organised by Blue Veins, Directorate General of Law and Human Rights, Child Protection and Welfare Commission, National Commission for Human Rights, End Violence Against Women and Girls Alliance, and Child Rights Movement.

The consultation brought together members of the provincial assembly from both treasury and opposition benches, parliamentarians, including women representatives from religious parties, and representatives from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Commission on the Status of Women (KPCSW) and Women Parliamentary Caucus.

Key government departments, including Health, Police, Social Welfare, Elementary and Secondary Education, and Right to Information and Right to Services Commission, were also in attendance. Participants also included representatives from UN agencies, academia, students, youth activists, minority representatives, religious leaders, and legal experts.

There was a strong consensus on the urgent need to move forward with the legislation.

Participants acknowledged that while certain areas of the bill may still require improvement, it has already been vetted and endorsed by the Law Department.

It was agreed that the bill should be pushed forward for cabinet approval and subsequent tabling in the provincial assembly without further delay. It was emphasized that any necessary amendments could be proposed during the legislative process by women parliamentarians and supportive male champions, rather than delaying its progression at this stage.

Director of Human Rights, Maqsood Khan, and additional chief of Child Welfare and Protection Commission, Mohammad Ijaz Khan, stated that this legislation was not just a legal requirement but a moral obligation.

They said that they must ensure that no further delays deny protection to their children, especially girls who remain most vulnerable to early marriages.

Representative of the NCHR, Mr Rizwan, shared, “From a human rights perspective, the passage of this bill is critical. It aligns with our national and international commitments to protect the rights and dignity of children.”

Secretary KPCSW, Ms Shazia Atta, highlighted, “Delays in legislation directly impact the lives of young girls. We must act collectively to ensure this bill reaches the assembly and translates into real protection on the ground.”

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2026