Survey Reveals Number of Married Pakistanis Aged Between 15 and 19

A significant number of Pakistani teens continue to enter marriage, with nearly 10 percent of those aged 15–19 reporting they are married, according to Gallup Pakistan. This highlights that early marriage remains widespread despite recent laws setting 18 as the minimum legal age for marriage.

The prevalence varies sharply across regions. Balochistan records the highest rates, with 22.5 percent of adolescents married, followed by Sindh at 17 percent and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at 13.8 percent. In Punjab, the rate is lower at 6.9 percent, while Islamabad reports 4.7 percent.

Rural areas see far more early marriages than urban centers, driven by poverty, limited access to schooling, and strong local social norms.

Girls are disproportionately affected. Nationally, about 15 percent of females aged 15–19 are married, with rates rising to nearly 30 percent in some rural areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, and Balochistan.