Speaker Provincial Assembly of Sindh Syed Awais Qadir Shah and Deputy Speaker Anthony Naveed welcomed a delegation from the Punjab Assembly; the visit aimed to learn from Sindh’s institutional reforms and progressive legislation curbing child marriages.
A delegation from the Punjab Assembly, led by MPA and Chairman Public Accounts Committee Punjab, Syed Ali Haider Gillani, visited the Sindh Assembly to learn from Sindh’s institutional reforms and progressive legislative measures, particularly the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act 2013, and its effective implementation mechanisms.
Speaker Provincial Assembly of Sindh Syed Awais Qadir Shah, in his remarks, said that the Sindh Assembly took a pioneering step in 2013 by passing the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act, setting a precedent for the entire country. The Act fixed the minimum age of marriage at 18 years, marking a revolutionary step toward the protection of children’s rights and the empowerment of women.
Deputy Speaker Anthony Naveed highlighted that the Provincial Assembly of Sindh, with the technical support of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), has taken several practical initiatives to implement Sustainable Development Goals pertaining to the enforcement of the Child Marriage Law, gender mainstreaming, safeguarding youth rights, and strengthening women’s participation in politics and the development sector.
During the visit, Speaker Syed Awais Qadir Shah and Deputy Speaker Anthony Naveed welcomed the delegation and briefed them during a tour of the old and new Assembly buildings.
The Speaker briefed the delegation on the legislative process of the Sindh Assembly, especially the background and impact of the 2013 Child Marriage Restraint Act.
The Speaker stated, “Sindh was the first province to recognize the seriousness of this issue and respond with effective legislation. Now, other provinces should take similar steps to ensure that Pakistan stands united in protecting the rights of its children.”
Chief Whip of the Punjab Assembly Rana Muhammad Arshad appreciated Sindh’s efforts, saying, “We acknowledge the Sindh Assembly’s Child Marriage Restraint Act. In Punjab, the Chief Minister has directed that a National Identity Card must be mandatory for any marriage, and we are also moving forward with related legislation.”
The Punjab Assembly delegation, led by Syed Ali Haider Gillani, included Ahmer Bhatti, Zulfiqar Ali Shah, Sardar Muhammad Owais Dreshak, Shehbaz Ahmed, Ishrat Ashraf, and Sarah Ahmad.
The delegation was also accompanied by Punjab’s Parliamentary Development Unit (PDU); participants included Attaullah Owais Anjum, Asifa Khan, Qurat-ul-Ain Ahsan Bhon, Asma Nasir, Sultan Dawood, and Usama Khawar Ghumman.
Dr. Gulnara (Deputy Representative) represented the UNFPA team, accompanied by Golden Mulilo (Head of Office Sindh), Tania Durrani (Provincial Coordinator Punjab), Renuka Swamy (Program Analyst), Momina Asad (Program Assistant), and Sartaj Abbasi (Program Analyst).
During the visit, the delegation also met with the Provincial Minister for Women Development, Shaheena Sher Ali, and Chairperson Sindh Commission on the Status of Women, Rubina Brohi.
Discussions focused on the policy framework, implementation mechanisms, and public awareness campaigns.
Speaker Provincial Assembly of Sindh Syed Awais Qadir Shah was accompanied by MPAs Convener Women Parliamentary Caucus Tanzila Ume Habiba, Heer Soho, Khairunnisa Mughal, Kiran Masood, Farah Sohail, Dr. Sikandar Shoro, and Asif Moosa.
The Secretary Provincial Assembly of Sindh G.M. Umar Farooq and Director General Provincial Assembly of Sindh Irfan Ahmed Memon also accompanied Speaker Syed Awais Qadir Shah.
The delegation was given a detailed briefing on the legislative process, committee system, and modern parliamentary procedures of the Sindh Assembly.
The visit concluded with a luncheon hosted in honour of the distinguished delegation from the Punjab Assembly.
The delegation led by MPA Punjab Assembly and Chairman PAC Syed Ali Haider Gillani thanked Speaker Syed Awais Qadir Shah and Deputy Speaker Anthony Naveed for hosting and facilitating the visit.
Speaker Syed Awais Qadir Shah assured the Punjab Assembly’s delegation of his utmost support. Speaker Syed Awais Qadir Shah honoured the delegation of the Punjab Assembly and UNFPA with Sindhi caps and Ajraks.
Dr. Gulnara (Deputy Representative, UNFPA) presented thanking souvenirs to the Speaker and Deputy Speaker Provincial Assembly of Sindh.
The Provincial Assembly of Punjab’s delegation, led by Syed Ali Haider Gillani, presented a legacy souvenir of the Punjab Assembly to Speaker Syed Awais Qadir Shah, while shields were also presented by the Punjab Assembly’s PDU Department to the Speaker Syed Awais Qadir Shah and Deputy Speaker Anthony Naveed.