Over 10 million Pakistani girls are 'unmarried' due to dowry: report

Over 10 million girls in Pakistan remain unmarried due to their families' inability to afford dowry, according to a report.

The report came into discussion during the recent Punjab Assembly session on Friday, highlighting the impact of the dowry system on girls' marriage rates in the country.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmakers, including Ahsan Raza Khan and Minister of Finance and Social Welfare Punjab Sohail Shaukat Butt, have termed dowry a "scourge" and "curse" on society.

"Dowry is a scourge of our society, and we need to ban it once and for all like India," said PML-N leader Ahsan Raza Khan.

The PML-N MPA further said that the poor are forced to commit suicide due to the groom's extraordinary demands.

"We cannot let our daughters suffer because of this outdated and cruel practice," he noted.

In his speech, Sohail Shaukat Butt emphasised the need for legislative action to address the issue.

The lawmaker also stressed the importance of educating girls and implementing inheritance laws to empower them.

A survey conducted in 2020 revealed that more than 50% of Pakistanis believe that a girl's family should give dowry when marrying her off. 

When asked if it was necessary to give dowry, 56% of those surveyed responded in the affirmative, whereas 39% said no; 5%, however, said they did not know.