LAHORE – The Punjab Assembly has passed the bill banning marriage under the age of 18 with a majority vote.
During the assembly session, the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs presented “The Punjab Marriage Restraint Bill 2026,” which was approved after debate by a majority vote.
The bill proposes setting the minimum legal age of marriage for girls at 18 years across the province.
During the discussion, government member Zulfiqar Ali Shah opposed the bill, demanding that permission from the court should be required for marriage before the age of 18.
He said that if Islam allows multiple marriages, people can do so, and questioned whether minors should engage in immoral acts before marriage if they are not allowed to marry early. He added that if a child under 18 wants to marry, they should seek court approval, and the law should not be placed above cultural values.
Responding to the objections, Information Minister Uzma Bukhari said that young girls often do not even know about their marriages. She stated that the Islamic Shariat Court had also encouraged the Sindh Assembly’s legislation on this issue.
She further said that mental and physical maturity must be considered equally, and while an ID card is required for any work, permission is being demanded for marriage. She added that if a young person becomes mature early, they should wait for the legal age instead of committing any wrongdoing.
Uzma Bukhari also remarked that in cases of violence or crimes, innocent girls often become victims, and questioned whether society should continue allowing such practices. She emphasized that if a girl is required for covering up crimes or traditions, such practices must end.
She said that under former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s tenure, the marriage age was 16, which is now being increased to 18 years.
The minister added that if a boy or girl does not have an identity card at the time of marriage, a birth certificate should be required.
She also criticized the process, saying that members were not provided copies of the bill or its amendments in advance, and stressed that proper documentation must be shared with all assembly members before passing any legislation.
Following her objection, the Speaker directed that copies of the bill be immediately provided to all members.
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