Pakistan is one of the countries which has passed the most legislations to protect fundamental Human Rights of people including 13 related to women protection, 7 for child rights, 10 in case of minorities, and 65 civil, political, environment safety legislations.
Besides that, in Punjab Assembly, 19 laws were passed on civil, political and economic rights, seven for children rights, four for minorities while the Sindh assembly has done legislation on 15 civil, political and economic rights, including two on women rights, five on child rights and two on minorities rights.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 32 laws on civil, political and economic rights, two on women rights, five on children and two on minorities’ rights were promulgated, while the Balochistan assembly passed 19 civil, political and economic rights legislations, one law on women rights and two on child rights.
Major bills to protect rights of masses included Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace (Amendment) Bill, 2014, Hindu Marriage Bill, 2015, Anti-Rape Laws (Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2013 and Anti Honour Killing Laws (Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2014 by the National Assembly.
However, the endeavors of provincial assemblies can be revealed through Punjab Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Act, 2015 Restraint (Amendment) Act, 2015, under which marriage of a boy under 18 years and a girl below 16 years is considered an offence punishable with imprisonment which may extend up to 6 months and a fine of of 50,000 rupees.
Punjab Prohibition of Child Labor at Brick Kilns Ordinance, 2016 prohibited employment of children below 18 years of age at hazardous work places.
Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2013 declared marriage below the age of 18 years to be punishable by law.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Elimination of Custom of Ghag Act, 2013, addresses the customary practice under the name of Ghag whereby a male person forcefully demands or claims the hand of a women without her own or her parents’ or wail’s consent.
It has been made an offence punishable with imprisonment which may extend up to seven years but shall not be less than three years and the person(s) shall also be liable to a fine up to five hundred thousand rupees or both.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Prohibition of Employment of Children Act, 2015, prohibits employment of children in any establishment and regulates the hours and other conditions of workers in commercial establishments in the province.