Legal Age of Marriage in Pakistan: Islamabad 18, Punjab 16

Legal Age of Marriage in Pakistan is 16 Years For Girls BUT? but it is a controversial issue in Pakist BUT it is controversial issue in Pakistan. UNICEF calls age of marriage before the age of 18 a “fundamental violation of human rights.” Sindh is the only province in Pakistan to update a 1929 law banning marriage before the age of 18.

In the Sindh Province

The Sindh Assembly unanimously passed the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act in 2014, raising the legal marriage age for boys and girls to 18 years old. In addition, the act was made a punishable offense. Contracting a child marriage by a man over the age of 18 could now result in a three-year prison term. It is also possible for men who solemnize an underage marriage to be jailed for two to three years. For failing to prevent the marriage, even the parents or guardians can be prosecuted. However, no one could be punished under this law as the Sindh High Court does not recognize this law as constitutional.

In the Province of Punjab

The Punjab Marriage Restraint Act 2015 amends the Child Marriage Restraint Ordinance 1971. Prison and fines were increased, but the legal marriage age remained at 16 in Punjab.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

This bill would have raised the marriage age to 18 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but was not passed in 2016. Thus the legal age of marriage in the KPK province in 16 years for a girl. 

In Balochistan

Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929 is still in effect in Balochistan, hence the legal age of marriage is 16 for a girl and 18 for a boy..

At the National Level

A bill was introduced in 2017 by Senator Sehar Kamran to increase the minimum age for girls to marry from 16 to 18. The bill, however, was struck down by a standing committee led by PPP member Rehman Malik. Following this, the bill was referred to the Council of Islamic Ideology, which is still reviewing it.

The chairman of the CII announced in 2018 that a nikah can be performed at any age, but rukhsati can only be performed after the age of 18. However, Islamabad High Court has passed the law, which requires serious consideration.

Obligations of Pakistan on the international scene

Since 1990, Pakistan has ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which sets 18 as the minimum age for marriage.