The Punjab government is set to introduce the Child Marriage Restraint Act, establishing 18 years as the minimum legal age for marriage. The move aligns Punjab with Sindh and Islamabad, both of which already enforce similar laws.
The announcement was made by Qaisar Mehmood, Divisional Coordinator of the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women, during an international conference on the age of marriage held in Islamabad.
📜 Bill Sent to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for Approval
Mehmood confirmed that the draft bill has been finalized and forwarded to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif for approval.
Under the proposed law:
-
Any adult who marries a girl under 18 will face two years in prison and a fine of Rs. 2 million.
-
Marriage registrars and witnesses involved will face two to three years of imprisonment.
The strict penalties aim to discourage child marriage and protect young girls from early, forced unions.
🌐 Global Support for Pakistan’s Reform
The conference — organized by the Potohar Organisation for Development Advocacy (Poda) with support from the Royal Norwegian Embassy, Ministry of Human Rights, and Women’s Parliamentary Caucus — was attended by scholars and activists from multiple Muslim-majority countries, including:
🇧🇩 Bangladesh | 🇲🇦 Morocco | 🇴🇲 Oman | 🇸🇾 Syria | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | 🇹🇳 Tunisia | 🇾🇪 Yemen
🤝 International Applause for Punjab’s Initiative
Thomas Dahl, Deputy Head of Mission at the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Islamabad, praised Punjab’s move, calling it “a vital milestone toward gender equality and protection of girls’ rights.”
He reaffirmed Norway’s commitment to supporting Pakistan’s gender justice initiatives and legal reforms.
🗣️ Experts Call for National Uniform Law
Murtaza Solangi, spokesperson for the President of Pakistan, emphasized that child marriage violates fundamental human rights and called for constitutional reforms to enforce the ban nationwide.
Barrister Aqeel Malik, Minister of State for Law, Justice, and Human Rights, highlighted that Sindh was the first province to enact such legislation and said the federal government aims to introduce uniform laws across all provinces.
👧 UNICEF: 19 Million Child Brides in Pakistan
According to UNICEF, Pakistan is home to nearly 19 million child brides, with one in every six girls married before turning 18.
Sameena Nazir, Executive Director of Poda, urged for a national action plan to eliminate child marriage and tackle its social, educational, and health consequences.
Experts agreed that ending child marriage requires legal enforcement, public awareness, and community-level education on the long-term harms of early marriage.
💬 Conclusion
Punjab’s decision to raise the minimum marriage age to 18 represents a progressive step toward protecting young girls and ensuring equal rights under law. Once approved by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, the new Child Marriage Restraint Act will make Punjab a model province for women’s empowerment and social justice.
