Men can marry underage girls if they have had their first menstrual cycle: Pakistan court

Karachi, Pakistan

Men can marry underage girls as per a judgement by the Sindh High Court on Monday.

The High Court said that underage girls can be married as long as they have had their first menstrual cycle.

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This ruling is in accordance with Sharia law.

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The Court in Karachi passed down the ruling in a hearing about the alleged abduction, forced conversion and marriage of Huma Younus, a Catholic girl taken from her home on 10th October 2019.

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Her parents believe her marriage is invalid in line with the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act, which forbids marriage under the age of 18.

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Huma's parents produced evidence, including a baptismal certificate and testimony from her school, purporting to show she is 14 years old, born on 22nd May 2005.

The judges, Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro and Irshad Ali Shah ruled that, as per Shari'a law, even if Huma was a minor, the marriage between her and her alleged abductor, Abdul Jabbar, would be valid as she had already had her first menstrual cycle.