Islamabad, May 30, 2025: 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 across Pakistan. The law marks a major milestone in the country’s efforts to combat child marriage and protect the rights of girls and boys.
Under the new legislation, no Nikah khuwan (marriage officiant) is permitted to solemnize a marriage if either party is under 18. Violators will face up to one year in prison and a fine of Rs100,000. Moreover, if a man over 18 marries an underage girl, he may face up to three years of rigorous imprisonment.
The law also empowers courts to intervene proactively if informed of an underage marriage, with provisions to protect the identity and safety of whistleblowers.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Sherry Rehman, who presented the bill in the Senate, hailed it as a historic victory for child protection in Pakistan. She praised President Zardari for showing courage despite opposition and called the move a “symbol of a new era of reform.”
“This is not just a piece of legislation — it is a commitment to every girl’s right to education, health, and dignity,” Rehman said. “It is the result of a long and difficult struggle, and it paves the way for safer, brighter futures for millions of children.”
The bill was initially introduced in the National Assembly by PPP MNA Sharmila Faruqui and later moved in the Senate by Rehman.
Despite widespread support from child rights activists and civil society, the bill faced strong resistance from some quarters. The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) rejected the legislation, declaring it “un-Islamic.” In a statement issued after its meeting chaired by Dr Raghib Hussain Naeemi, the CII said that fixing a legal age of 18 for marriage and criminalizing underage marriage did not conform to Islamic injunctions.
The CII also criticized the government for not seeking its review of the bill before passage. The bill also faced opposition in the Senate from JUI-F members and ANP’s Aimal Wali Khan.
Pakistan currently ranks among the worst countries for child marriage. With an estimated 19 million girls married before the age of 18, the nation has the sixth highest number of child brides globally. Nearly half of them become pregnant before reaching legal adulthood, and only 13% of married girls complete secondary school, compared to 44% of their unmarried peers—a stark statistic that reflects the deep consequences of early marriage on education and empowerment.
Senator Rehman urged provincial governments to follow the federal lead, especially in light of Sindh’s earlier success in banning child marriage. “This law sends a strong national message: child marriage has no place in our society,” she said.
