A recent Gallup & Gilani Pakistan survey found that 8% of married men in the country have been in multiple marriages.
The nationwide study aimed to explore the reasons behind this pattern.
Participants were asked, “Is this your first marriage?” While 92% confirmed it was, 8% acknowledged having been married more than once.
When asked about the reasons for multiple marriages, 36% cited the death of a previous spouse, 33% referred to religious permission allowing up to four marriages, 7% mentioned divorce, and 5% attributed it to Khula (wife-initiated divorce). Meanwhile, 19% either were unsure or declined to respond.
The survey was conducted between January 7 and January 12, 2025, through computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) with 518 married men from both urban and rural areas across all four provinces. The study has an estimated margin of error of ±2-3% at a 95% confidence level.