ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday signed the Child Marriage Restraint Bill, 2025, into law, officially setting the minimum legal age for marriage at 18 years for both boys and girls across Pakistan.
Under the new law, no Nikah khuwan (marriage solemniser) is permitted to conduct a marriage involving any party under the age of 18. Violators may face up to one year of imprisonment and a fine of Rs100,000.
In cases where an adult male marries a girl under 18, the law stipulates a punishment of up to three years of rigorous imprisonment.
The legislation further empowers the courts to intervene and stop underage marriages once informed. Individuals reporting such cases can request confidentiality, and the court is required to ensure their protection.
The bill was initially introduced in the National Assembly by PPP lawmaker Sharmila Faruqui and later presented in the Senate by Senator Sherry Rehman.
However, the bill has drawn criticism from the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), which declared the legislation “un-Islamic”. In a statement following a recent meeting, the CII asserted that the bill’s provisions — particularly the fixed age of 18 and the classification of underage marriage as child abuse — do not align with Islamic teachings.
Chaired by Dr Raghib Hussain Naeemi, the CII acknowledged the challenges associated with underage marriages and called for discouraging the practice. Still, it rejected the bill in its entirety, also noting that the legislation had not been referred to the council for review prior to passage.
Pakistan remains one of the countries most affected by child marriage, ranking sixth globally. An estimated 19 million girls in the country have been married before the age of 18. Nearly half became pregnant before reaching legal adulthood — exposing both mothers and infants to serious health risks.
Additionally, only 13% of married girls complete secondary education, compared to 44% of their unmarried peers, drastically limiting their opportunities for independence and personal development.
