The Punjab Assembly’s Standing Committee on Local Government and Community Development has approved a bill setting 18 years as the minimum legal age of marriage for both boys and girls across the province.
The committee unanimously passed the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2026, removing the earlier provision that allowed girls to marry at the age of 16.
Under the proposed law, child marriage has been declared a cognizable, non-bailable and non-compoundable offence, enabling immediate police action and preventing out-of-court settlements.
The bill states that anyone involved in facilitating child marriage, including the adult spouse, parents or guardians, Nikah registrars or other facilitators, may face up to seven years in prison along with a fine of up to Rs. 1 million.
It also classifies cohabitation following such marriages as child abuse, carrying stricter penalties, and directs courts to decide related cases within 90 days.
During the meeting, the committee directed the secretary of local government to finalize draft rules under the bill and present them within 60 days for approval.
The committee said the legislation is aimed at curbing child marriages, addressing gender disparity and strengthening legal protections for children in Punjab.
The meeting was held at the Punjab Assembly under the chairmanship of MPA Muhammad Ashraf Rasool, and was attended by the provincial minister for local government and officials from relevant departments.
May Allah hasten the fall of these people who vote for such stupid laws.
Why are you so furious? Do you support child marriage? A lot of dreams are killed due to these forceful child marriages. Nobody asks for their consent and their education and dreams are killed by this society. Islam allows this only if both boy and girl are agreed to marry. And there are very less teenagers who marry in this age with their own consent. Most of the cases refers to forceful marriages.
Enforced marriages aren’t specific to any age or even gender.
You’re bringing in a valid point but this law doesn’t solve the real issue of forced marriages. It is no different than what happens in the West: the same ‘children’ can have fun together (and whatnot) but it’s not legal for them to marry, because duh they are just kids!
If you think these laws are stupid then you might want to re-evaluate your morals. Child marriage is a major problem in Pakistan with girl being forced in marriage for money or other reasons not only that this also allows smugglers to smuggle children out of country more easily and this law wouldn’t allow for such heinous acts to happen and before you use the example of Hazrat Ayesha R.A that is a different matter that was the norm of THAT time not today also he treated her kindly not like those animals do.
First of all you said this is immoral if girl marry before 18.From where did you get this definition of moral.Do You think 17 years and 364 days girl or boy is child and when it get to full 18 age then it will turn into adult what is this. If he is child why he get attraction to opposite gender after puberty.By the way does person get puberty at age of 18 or before that and after puberty does boy or girl get attraction to each other or not if answer is yes then why ban marriage before 18 year do you want western culture which destroyed their family system.If you are muslim then follow islam morals not western morals if islam allows marraige after puberty then it means it is allowed which perfectly matched with nature of humans.You said that girls forced to marry before 18 and allows smugglers to smuggle girls is this is your argument come on what is this.Does before this law smuggler ask government for smuggling or parents who forced their daughter to marry do they take permission from government to do this stuff. If answer is no then how this will prevent this,government should focus on this problems rather increase problems for those who actually want to marry if they want. If they want halal instead of haram.Why they stopping someone to do halal things and opening doors for haram. I think the comment is already so long so I will stop here.
1)First of all u only know English that’s your qualifications.
2). Second both spouse should of same age(if we suppose we should allow marriage before) but in Pakistan minority’s daughters are being kidnapped by old person, married with him and
Given status of “Bebe” Although she is to be called child.
3) 3rd you all want to go to western countries but after being their you want that to be converted to the same thing that u have left behind in ur own country.
4) Fourthly, you r blowing a trumpet 🎺 that they don’t have family system. That’s clear lie . I have talked to many foreigners they have big families
Well I agree with the first part of your argument but you’re self contradicting your self in the second one, not all can be bad that’s an objective premise, if a girl is mature enough and is physically capable and the family of a girl and the boy do reach to a respectable agreement then you can’t question it whatsoever.
Perhaps we need to remind ourselves the definition of a “child”. There is no switch that flips in the mind or body of a person at the age of 16 or 18 or whatever. Forced marriage is not allowed in Islam, period. But delaying marriage to conform to western ideals is also a terrible idea. Just wait and see what evils accompany those ideals. Girls over the age of 18 can also be forced into marriage for smuggling or money or whatever. So there goes your argument…
Just say you guys are a bunch of pedo philes and move along. During teenage years, brain develops at a faster rate. A 16 year old is a school going kid and an 18 year old is someone studying at a university. Alot happens in 2 years when your frontal lobe is still developing. AND PLEASE DON’T BE NEAR LITTLE GIRLS
Interesting take. I didn’t know that it take only a few hours to complete the frontal lobe development of a boy/girl, since it is illegal for a teenage boy to marry a teenage girl when either of them is 17 years and 364 days but just after just a few hours (when they become 18 years old), there is no ‘pedo’ claim and therefore it is morally acceptable marriage.
CRY MORE LIL BEETCH! go back to epstien island & worship them! 🤣 Ur worthless opinion aint matter HOE🤣✌️
May Allah give you guidance to use your AQL 🙏🙏🙏🙏💔💔
Why? Do you wish to marry a child? Is that what this is about? People who think that child marriages should be allowed are downright pedophile, and your comment makes you look like one.
They’re not even trying to hide it lol. I hope they make the penalties more severe so these pedos learn a lesson
dehaat mn aisa kch ni,koi implemntation ni is sb py.14years bchio ke shadi is very common in punjab.