KARACHI, November 8, 2024 – Sindh’s Minister for Women Development, Shaheena Sher Ali, has announced that the inclusion of couples’ Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) details in the Nikah Nama will soon be mandated to help curb child marriages in the province. She further revealed that the provincial Women Development Department is set to launch a 15-day awareness campaign at the district level starting November 25 to educate women on their rights.Minister Shaheena Sher Ali shared these remarks while addressing a seminar organized by the Civil Society Support Program (CSSP), a prominent civil society organization, at a local hotel.
Highlighting Sindh’s progressive stance on preventing child marriages, Shaheena Sher Ali underscored that the province leads other regions in legislative measures. She noted that while the minimum legal age for marriage remains 16 in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, it has been raised to 18 in Sindh. The Minister informed attendees that efforts to amend the Nikah Nama to include CNIC details are in progress and that the legislative process is nearing completion.
She encouraged women to read the Nikah Nama in detail before marriage, emphasizing, “In our society, a bride’s request to read the Nikah Nama is often viewed as inappropriate, which is unfortunate. The world has advanced, and we too must embrace positive social changes.” She further explained that incomplete documentation in the Nikah Nama frequently results in women being denied their lawful rights in cases of divorce or separation.
Reaffirming the commitment of the Sindh government under the vision of Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Shaheena Sher Ali stated that significant efforts are being made to safeguard women’s rights, foster their growth, and empower them. She called on civil society to partner with the Sindh government in supporting initiatives aimed at empowering women.
The seminar was attended by prominent figures including Iqbal Detho, Chairman of the Sindh Human Rights Commission; Nadeem Memon, Secretary of the Information Department Sindh; Zahid Hussain Rahoojo, Deputy Secretary of the Women Development Department; Wajid Ali Memon, Additional Director of the Social Welfare Department; and representatives from various social organizations and donor agencies.
