Another case of wattasatta(the custom of two families giving each other their women as brides) that led to two children getting married and then divorced has not shaken the national conscience in any matter whatsoever. Perhaps, the reason behind this is because wattasattais still considered a culturally acceptable practice among a large segment of the population. How it infringes on basic freedoms and negates individual agency seem to be lost on most people. But then again, Pakistani society is not known for progressive ideals. Where religion is conflated with culture to justify some of the most vile and oppressive practices, the prevalence of such a mindset should not come as any surprise. Child marriage is a reality in Pakistan that is rarely talked about, much less condemned. And the most virulent opposition to ban child marriage comes from the religious right. It was the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) which last year opposed the bill that aimed to increase the minimum of age of marriage from 16 to 18 years. In fact, the CII has at times maintained that a girl can be married off at age 9 “if the signs of puberty are visible.” And it is this religious sanction provided by anachronistic bodies such as the CII that leads to the widespread acceptance of child marriage. In a country in which religion plays a very important role in determining the outlook of the people, it was expected that the clergy would act in a responsible manner and help Pakistan on its way to becoming a moderate and progressive republic. Unfortunately, the clergy has instead chosen to oppose any progressive measure that has been introduced or mulled in Pakistan, and that has laid bare its misogyny and bigotry. While it would akin to indulging in naivety to expect the Pakistani religious right to change its historic opposition to the forces of progress, the state must also not be exonerated for capitulating to the religious right on certain occasions. However, the tide is turning, and the forces of progress are increasingly making the regressive voices irrelevant. After all, the most racket is made by those who fear losing their position. Furthermore, there is always an inherent tension between progress and custom. In certain cases, customs have value in themselves, which keep the existing social order running. While at times, the social order may be an exploitative one and has to be done away with, at other times it is also important to not change it too radically, lest the forces of change lead to something that is unmanageable. In this particular case, customs such as wattasatta do not have any value that may make them worthy of preserving. And child marriage is a reprehensible practice to say the least, one that can destroy the life of the child. Preservation of culture should not be conflated with perpetuation of oppressive practices, and the two need to be sifted from each other in order to head towards change for the better. *