By: Naseer Abbullah
“I was twelve when they took me out of school and forced me into marriage,” says Bisma Baloch. “No one asked for my consent. No one called it a crime.”
Until that moment, Bisma’s life revolved around a dusty classroom, unfinished homework, and a quiet dream of becoming a teacher. One morning, without warning or explanation, she was told she would never return to school. Within weeks, her school bag was replaced with bridal jewelry, and she was married to a man more than twice her age.
In Balochistan, childhood does not always end with age. Sometimes, it ends with a decision made by others, an illegal decision that continues quietly, rarely questioned, and almost never punished.
A Silence Shaped by Fear
When reporting on Bisma’s case began, she was not ready to speak. Fear dominated her life—fear of her parents, fear of tribal elders, and fear of social consequences in a region where challenging tradition can come at a deadly cost. Only after months did she decide to break her silence.
Her story reflects a wider reality across Balochistan, where child and forced marriages remain deeply rooted, particularly in remote and tribal districts.
The first source that break silence
Kiran Aslam, a women’s rights activist from District Awaran, has been working against early and forced marriages across the province. Holding a Master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Karachi, she has documented cases in some of Balochistan’s most inaccessible regions.
“The number of forced marriage cases in Mashkay is alarming,” she says. “In Nondara, just 30 minutes from Awaran town, child marriage is common. Yet not a single case has been registered under the Child Marriage Act. No awareness campaign—by NGOs or the government—has ever taken place there.”
According to Kiran, tribal pressure, jirga decisions, poverty, and fear carry more weight than written law. Girls are raised with the expectation of marriage, not education, and resistance is often met with social isolation or violence.
When ‘Honor’ Overrides Law
In 2024, Mahen Baloch, a young woman from the Labach area of Awaran, was killed by her uncle for marrying a man of her choice. Her killing was justified locally as a matter of “honor,” underscoring how control over women’s lives and choices remains embedded in tribal norms.
Such incidents reinforce a climate of fear that discourages girls and families from reporting forced or early marriages.
The Numbers That Never Appear
Official data tells only part of the story. According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), 18 cases of child marriage were documented nationwide in 2024—but not a single case was officially recorded from Balochistan.
Most reported cases came from Punjab, where women’s violence centers were launched the same year. In contrast, despite widespread reports from civil society and activists, Balochistan has seen no major government initiative to address child marriage.
Along with HRCP member Abdullah Baloch, this reporter visited Hub Chowki Sadar Police Station to review records. No child marriage cases were registered between 2024 and 2025. Similar patterns were found across other districts.
Experts say underreporting is driven by lack of birth registration, fear of retaliation, and weak institutional presence, masking the true scale of the problem.
A senior official from the Balochistan Social Welfare Department, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged the challenges.
“Child marriage is illegal, but enforcement is extremely difficult in remote areas due to tribal pressure, lack of reporting, and weak institutions,” the official told Human Online.
Laws That Exist Only on Paper
Advocate Abdul Hayee, a Quetta-based lawyer and member of the National Commission on the Rights of the Child (NCRC), says the failure lies in implementation.
“The government should be a party in child marriage cases, but often it is not. Child marriage directly challenges the writ of the state,” he said.
Under Pakistani law, marriage below the age of 18 is prohibited, with penalties including imprisonment and fines. However, in tribal regions such as Awaran, Kohlu, and Jhal Magsi, parallel jirga systems continue to override formal law.
Although the Balochistan Assembly has approved a new child marriage bill with stricter penalties, it has yet to be implemented.
Health Risks That Follow for Life
The consequences of early marriage extend far beyond lost education.
Dr. Saba Mubarak, a senior gynecologist working in rural Awaran, says early marriage exposes girls to serious reproductive health risks, including early pregnancy, anemia, and long-term complications.
Bisma now suffers from breast cancer.
Dr. Najma, an oncologist at Burhani Hospital Karachi, explains that while child marriage is not a direct cause of breast cancer, it increases vulnerability.
“Early pregnancy, malnutrition, lack of screening, and limited access to healthcare create conditions that elevate long-term health risks,” she said.
Psychological Scars and Lost Identity
Mental health experts warn that the damage is not only physical.
“Girls forced into marriage at a young age often suffer from depression, anxiety, trauma, and loss of identity,” says consultant psychiatrist Dr. Sangeet. “These psychological scars can last a lifetime.”
Murjan Baloch, a 15-year-old girl from Mashkay, Balochistan, no longer goes to school because her family told her she is now of marriageable age. She has been asked to stay at home and do household work until she is married.
A 2024 Save the Children survey found that nearly two-thirds of marriages in Balochistan occurred before the age of 18, with about 40 percent before 16. One in four girls had a child before 16, and 60 percent gave birth before 18.
A Crisis That Continues Unchecked
“The problem in Balochistan is weak reporting, lack of government prosecution, and the dominance of informal systems,” he said.
Bisma’s story is not an exception. Across Balochistan, childhoods are quietly negotiated away in the name of tradition, while the state remains largely absent.
“Child and forced marriages are not traditions to be protected they are injustices that steal childhood, silence dreams, and deny girls their basic human rights.
Another case of Nazi Baloch caught between her dreams and child marriage nightmare. From Awaran She herds her goats after school, pursuing her dream of becoming a doctor. Photo in Nondra, district Awaran
“When a child is forced into marriage, her education ends, her choices disappear, and her childhood is taken away.
In Balochistan, child and forced marriages continue not because they are right, but because silence allows them to exist.” Said Mahnoor Shah Baloch a social activist from Balochistan.
Until laws are enforced beyond paper and girls are protected in practice, child marriage will continue to erase futures before they begin.
