ISLAMABAD: In a historic move aimed at protecting children’s rights, Pakistan’s National Assembly has unanimously passed a landmark bill criminalizing marriages involving individuals under the age of 18.
The newly approved legislation outlaws the registration and solemnization of child marriages, introducing stringent penalties for violators in a bid to eradicate early and forced unions across the country.
Under the bill, any marriage registrar who fails to verify the national identity cards of the bride and groom before solemnizing the marriage will face one year of imprisonment, a fine of PKR 100,000, or both.
The law also targets adult men marrying minor girls, prescribing two to three years of rigorous imprisonment and additional fines for those found guilty. The bill explicitly defines child marriage as a form of abuse and criminal coercion, holding facilitators and guardians accountable.
Those found arranging a minor’s marriage will now face up to five to seven years in prison and a fine of PKR 1 million, or both. These new measures mark one of the strongest legal steps yet taken by the Pakistani legislature to address the pervasive issue of child marriage, which has long drawn criticism from human rights groups at home and abroad.
The bill is seen as a critical move in line with Pakistan’s international obligations, including its commitments under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5, which aims to eliminate child marriage by 2030.
Advocates and civil society organizations welcomed the development, calling it a major victory for child protection and gender equality in Pakistan.
