Bill enacted by Pakistani legislature to decrease instances of child marriages
Modernizing Marriage Laws in Islamabad:
The National Assembly of Pakistan approved a bill on May 19, 2025, targeting the eradication of child marriages in the federal capital by raising the legal age of marriage for both boys and girls to 18 years.
Sharmila Faruqui of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) introduced the bill on May 16, and it was unanimously passed. Following this, the bill was introduced in the Senate by PPP senator Sherry Rehman on May 19, and despite strong protests and a walkout by members of the Islamist party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), it was still passed.
The bill has been sent to President Asif Ali Zardari for his assent. Once signed into law, the legislation will apply to the federal capital Islamabad, with district and sessions courts handling related cases. The existing Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929 will no longer apply in the federal capital after the law's enforcement.
According to the bill, any individual under 18 is considered a child, and no Nikah registrar can officiate a marriage if either party is underage. Islamic marriage registrars are also required to verify the age of both parties using their Computerized National Identity Cards (CNIC), issued by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).
Violations of this law by registrars can result in jail time of up to one year and a fine of 100,000 Pakistani Rupees ($354 USD). Men over 18 who marry underage girls could face up to three years of imprisonment.
"Living with a child under 18 in a marital relationship will be considered statutory rape," the bill states.
The legislation also criminalizes forcing a child into marriage, trafficking a child for marriage, aiding in arranging a child marriage, and failing to prevent or participating in a child's marriage, all of which can result in imprisonment of up to seven years and fines.
Courts will have the authority to stop a child marriage if informed on time, and protection for whistleblowers who choose to remain anonymous will be provided. The law will also ensure that trials are completed within 90 days and deny bail to perpetrators of underage marriage.
After the Senate approved the bill, PPP senator Sherry Rehman celebrated the move, saying: "This is a major step towards protecting children's rights."
Although the bill has been passed for ICT, it is not certain whether similar legislation will be enacted in the province of Punjab. Currently, the minimum age for girls to marry in Punjab is still 16.
For Christians, this legislation is particularly important as it could help protect them from forced faith conversions and early marriages.
Despite the bill's passage, challenges still lie ahead, as religious groups have opposed it as "un-Islamic" and a "western conspiracy." Ensuring effective enforcement of the legislation may prove difficult in some communities. However, influential individuals like Punjab Assembly member Ejaz Alam Augustine have called the bill a "revolutionary step" for the protection of children, particularly girls, in terms of health, education, and life.
- This law focuses on personal growth, education-and-self-development, and career-development, as it aims to prevent child marriages, thereby ensuring children can pursue their aspirations more effectively.
- The bill's passage into law could have profound implications for policy-and-legislation and general news, with discussions possibly centered around child protection, women's rights, and religious freedom.
- The implementation of this legislation might face opposition from certain religious groups, presenting challenges in politics and religious dynamics, as they view it as a violation of traditional norms and a western influence.
