The Standing Committee on Local Government of the Punjab Assembly has approved a landmark ordinance aimed at banning child marriages across the province, marking a decisive step in legislative child protection. The committee meeting, chaired by Pir Ashraf Rasool, came after the ordinance was approved by Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider.
Under the Punjab Child Marriage Ordinance 2026 the minimum legal age for both bride and groom is fixed at 18 years. Any marriage involving individuals below this age will be treated as illegal and subject to criminal prosecution, reflecting a firm stance against child marriages.
The ordinance sets out specific penalties to deter violations. Registering or solemnizing an underage marriage will attract a minimum of one year imprisonment and a fine of Rs100,000. A person who contracts a marriage with a minor may face up to three years behind bars and a fine of Rs500,000.
In more severe provisions, marriage with a minor is categorized as an offence equivalent to rape, punishable by up to seven years imprisonment and a fine of Rs1,000,000. The same penalty applies to anyone who takes a minor from Punjab to another province for the purpose of marriage, closing a common loophole used to evade provincial law.
Parents, guardians or any individuals who attempt to arrange or facilitate a child marriage will face up to two years imprisonment and a fine of Rs500,000, and nikah registrars and parents may also be held legally accountable in cases of negligence. These measures are intended to strengthen enforcement and assign clear legal responsibility for preventing child marriages.
The ordinance will now be presented before the Punjab Assembly for approval, after which it will formally become law. The committee meeting was attended by Child Protection Bureau Chairperson Sarah Ahmad, Chief Whip Rana Arshad, Amjad Ali Javed, Secretary Local Government Shakeel Mian and other senior officials. Lawmakers including Zulfiqar Ali Shah, Ahmad Khan Laghari and Arshad Malik participated, and a significant number of women members observed the session, underscoring broad legislative engagement on ending child marriages in Punjab.
