In a landmark legal reform, Punjab, Pakistan, has raised the legal age of marriage to 18 and introduced stringent criminal penalties for child marriage. The new law came into force immediately after Governor Saleem Haider Khan signed the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Ordinance 2026 on Wednesday.
The reform applies across the province’s population of more than 120 million residents and aims to protect minors while eliminating gender-based discrimination embedded in previous legislation.
Strict Penalties and Expanded Enforcement
Under the new ordinance, anyone who contracts, facilitates, or registers an underage marriage faces up to seven years in prison and fines of up to 1 million rupees. The law empowers police to register cases and take action without prior court approval.
Significantly, cohabitation following a child marriage is now legally classified as child abuse. Marriage registrars and guardians who enable such unions are also held criminally liable. Sessions Courts are required to conclude cases within 90 days, ensuring swift judicial proceedings.
The updated framework replaces a 1929 statute that had permitted girls to marry at the age of 16, a provision long criticised by rights advocates.
Legal and Political Context
The move follows mounting legal pressure after the Lahore High Court struck down the gender-based age gap in marriage laws. The Council of Islamic Ideology had previously opposed raising the legal age limit.
Christian lawmaker Ejaz Alam Augustine welcomed the uniform age requirement, stating that it sends a clear message that child marriage will not be tolerated. Advocacy organisations, including ADF International, have argued that the reform could also help deter forced conversions and related abuses.
Lawmakers are expected to present the ordinance before the provincial assembly for permanent approval, marking what many see as a decisive step toward stronger child protection and legal equality in Punjab.