LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly has passed a bill to prevent child marriage and ban marriage below the age of 18.
According to the text of the bill, marriage of children below the age of 18 will be banned in Punjab, and it has been made mandatory for the bride and groom to be 18 years old at the time of marriage.
The bill states that in case of forced marriage, the court will protect the affected child or girl, while child marriage is a punishable offense, action will be taken under the Criminal Act, and marriage below the age of 18 will be considered as rape.
According to the bill, anyone who marries a child under the age of 18 will be imprisoned for 3 years and fined Rs 500,000, while taking a minor from Punjab to another province and getting married will be punished with 7 years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1 million.
The text of the bill further states that marriage registrars and parents will also be subject to the law. The guardian of such children will face 2 years in prison and a fine of Rs 500,000, while the person registering a minor’s marriage and the person seeking marriage will face at least one year in prison and a fine of Rs 100,000.
In addition, the final approval of the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2026 will be given by the Governor of Punjab, and after the bill is approved, the Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929 will be considered repealed.
Balochistan bans child marriages
The Balochistan Child Marriages Restraint Act 2025, which is a comprehensive law imposing the province’s highest penalties ever against all parties to child marriages, was approved by the Balochistan Assembly.
The act defines a child as any person below the age of 18 years and makes all marriages with children illegal, categorizing some of them void ab initio. The act supersedes all other laws that conflict with it in the province and comes into effect immediately.
Under the new law, any adult male who enters into a child marriage can receive two to three years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine between Rs. 100,000 and Rs. 200,000. Anyone who performs, arranges, promotes, or abets such a marriage faces the same punishment.
Besides, a court can add three months of imprisonment in case the offenders fail to pay the fine. The act creates new legal obligations for Nikah Khawans, Nikah Registrars, and union council secretaries: They must verify the CNICs of both parties before solemnising a marriage.
Failure to verify ages is now a criminal offence punishable by up to one year in prison and a fine of up to Rs. 100,000. All offences under the act are cognizable, non-bailable, and non-compoundable. This authorises police to take action without warrants, restricts the availability of bail, and prevents private settlements.
Only a First Class Judicial Magistrate can take up cases under the act. The act also declares child marriages void in cases where the minor is kidnapped, sold, coerced, trafficked, or enticed for marriage or other immoral purposes.
Children born from such unions will be deemed legitimate, and the father shall be liable for their maintenance.
