Islamabad: Almost 60 percent of respondents in Sindh and Balochistan were married before the age of 18, a shocking new analysis revealed on Thursday, as parliamentarians, government officials and civil society leaders came together in Islamabad to pledge collective action to end child, early and forced marriage in Pakistan — a practice they warned continues to rob millions of girls of education, health, and dignity.
The National Civil Society Dialogue and Dissemination Event on Ending Child, Early, and Forced Marriage (CEFM) was organized by Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO) with support from the U.S. Department of State and Save the Children at the Marriott Hotel.
The event featured two panel discussions moderated by Ms. Farhat Ali Sheikh (Board Member, SPO) and Ms. Munazza Ali (Project Manager, Save the Children).
Key panelists included Dr. Manizeh Bano (Executive Director, Sahil), Ms. Afreen Kanwal (Child Protection Specialist, CEFM), Mr. Nisar Ahmed (Executive Director, Peace by Youth), Commissioner Salahudin Norzai (Naseerabad), Ms. Kiran Balouch (Chairperson, Balochistan Commission on Status of Women), Mr. Qamar-u-din Channa (Child Protection Authority), Dr. Ghazala Ghalib Khan (Expert on Law and Sharia), Mr. Khalid Khan (Deputy Commissioner, Jaffarabad), youth champions Ms. Aqsa Abdul Raheem and Mr. Arsalan Khan, Dr. Nikhat Shakeel Khan (Member, National Assembly of Pakistan & Convenor, Parliamentary Caucus on Child Rights), and Dr. Shazia Sobia Aslam (State Coordinator, Sindh, Parliamentary Caucus on Child).
Guest speakers included Ms. Saima Agha (MPA & Parliamentary Secretary for Sports and Youth Affairs, Sindh), Mr. Muhammad Saleem Khosa (Director General, Balochistan Charity Registration Authority), and Ali Ansar Sidhu, President of NGO for the Development of Special Persons, who reaffirmed their commitment to advancing child protection efforts.
Khurram Gondal, Country Director of Save the Children, called the initiative “a vital step in addressing one of Pakistan’s most pressing social challenges,” adding that “true change requires more than policies; it demands consistency, commitment, and the collective efforts of government, civil society, and local partners.”
He praised the strong engagement of local NGOs and district governments and reaffirmed Save the Children’s support for the cause.
Senator (R) Javed Jabbar, Former Chairperson and Co-founder of SPO, applauded the effort as “a critical step toward empowering girls and safeguarding their future,” pointing to Pakistan’s legacy of trailblazing women leaders like Fatima Jinnah and Benazir Bhutto who “would never have achieved such milestones had they been married off at a young age.”
He added: “We must not wait for foreign funding to drive such efforts; the resolve to protect our children must come from within.”
Closing the event, Arifa Mazhar, Chief Executive of SPO, urged stakeholders to move beyond a project-based approach and build a sustained, community-driven movement. “This is not just a project, it is a collective mission,” she said, thanking partners, youth leaders, and Save the Children for their collaboration, and affirming that “this is not the end, but the beginning of a new chapter in the fight against child marriage.”
The event concluded with a joint commitment from government institutions, parliamentarians, and civil society organizations to strengthen legal safeguards, expand awareness campaigns, and ensure that every child in Pakistan can grow up safe, educated, and free from the risk of early marriage.
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