Punjab Raises Minimum Marriage Age for Women

The Punjab Assembly on Monday passed the Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2026, setting 18 years as the minimum legal age for marriage for both boys and girls and declaring underage marriage a non-bailable offense.

Punjab Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman presented the bill in the assembly, but the proceedings began with controversy as lawmakers were not initially provided copies of the draft.

Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari raised objections, calling the situation unprecedented and stressing the need for transparency in the legislative process. She said lawmakers must have full access to the bill before voting on it.

Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan later directed that copies be distributed among members, allowing the debate to proceed.

Bokhari said both mental and physical maturity should be considered before marriage and emphasized mandatory age verification through documents such as CNICs or birth certificates. She also opposed a proposal by PML-N lawmaker Zulfiqar Ali Shah to allow under-18 marriages with court permission.

Zulfiqar Ali Shah expressed concerns about societal values and moral implications, but Bokhari rejected the argument, highlighting the impact of child marriages on girls.

The assembly passed the bill by majority vote after debate from both treasury and opposition members. Previously, the legal age was 18 for men and 16 for women, but the new law replaces the earlier framework and formalizes changes introduced through a February ordinance.