BADIN, Jan 22: Speakers at a seminar held here on Sunday expressed concern over the light punishment envisage in law for organisers of child marriages and demanded repeal of the early child marriage law of 1929 which they said was full of flaws.

They demanded a new law with severe punishment for offenders.

They said the law-breakers should be fined Rs100,000 and sentenced to one year rigorous imprisonment instead of the fine of Rs1,000 and detention of one month in the existing law.

The seminar on “Child marriages” was organised by Child Rights Committee, Badin.

The speakers said thousands of young girls across the country were being cruelly sent out of their homes, forced into early marriages, some even before reaching the age of 10.