Child marriage restraint act 2025:

on 30th may 2025, pakistan took a major legal step to end child marriages when president asif ali zardari signed the *islamabad capital territory child marriage restraint bill* into law replacing the british colonial era 1929 for the federal capital.

pakistan is among the top 10 worldwide with the highest absolute number of women who were married or in a union before the age of 18. in pakistan 5% of the girls are married before the age of 15, this means almost 4.6 million young girls in the country were married before turning 15. child marriage destroys a girl’s childhood and forces her into adult roles before she is ready. girls under 18 who are married face multiple over lapping challenges:

health and physical risks:

girls’ bodies are not fully developed for pregnancy and childbirth. this raises the risk of complications, obstetric fistula, hemorrhage, and higher maternal/infant mortality. frequent and early pregnancies put extra strain on a still-growing body and cause malnutrition as her body does not get enough time to recover or develop fully. young brides often have limited knowledge, autonomy or access to healthcare and family planning which increases the chances of long term reproductive health problems. 

education disruption:

early marriage directly destroys a girl's right to education. once a girl is married as a child, she is almost always pulled out of school to take on household and marital responsibilities and returning to education later becomes extremely difficult due to social stigma, lack of support, and domestic pressure. this abrupt end to schooling cuts off her learning, critical thinking and skill development at a formative age. without education, she loses opportunities for higher studies, jobs and financial independence, which keeps her dependent and limits her ability to make decisions for herself and her children. in this way, child marriage doesn't just end a girl's schooling, it ends her future potential and perpetuates a cycle of poverty and illiteracy across generations.

during a tense debate, senator naseema ehsan stood up and said; “I got married at 13 years old and I want child marriage to be banned.” she further added “I was lucky to have good and affluent in-laws but most Pakistani women are not so lucky. Not every child has a supportive husband like me.”  young brides often face severe domestic abuse and emotional neglect in their marital homes. because they are married as children, they enter relationships with little maturity, experience or power to protect themselves. many husbands and in-laws are unsupportive, dismissive or controlling and treat the young bride as a burden rather than an equal family member. this environment frequently leads to physical violence, verbal abuse and isolation from her own family and friends. Without education, financial independence or emotional support, the girl has almost no way to speak up or leave. as a result, child marriage traps her in a cycle of abuse, fear and silence which damages her mental health and overall well-being.

The bill was introduced as a private members' bill by PPP MNA Dr. sharmila faruqi in the national assembly on may 16, 2025, and passed the same day. senator sherry rehman moved it in the senate on May 19. she hailed the bill as a landmark victory in the fight against child marriage, describing it as a crucial step toward protecting the rights of women and children in pakistan. 

MAIN FEATURES OF THE BILL:

a) minimum age set at 18 for both sexes to get married:

the law defines a child as any person, male or female, under 18 years of age. any marriage or nikkah where one or both parties are under 18 is a child marriage. under the new legislation 18 years is the legal age for marriage in islamabad.

b) ban on registration 

nikkah registrars are banned from registering any marriage if one or both parties are under 18. CNICs must be verified showing dates of birth. any violation of this law carries up to one year of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 100,000.

c) criminal penalties for facilitators:

• adult groom: a male over 18 who marries a child faces rigorous imprisonment of 2-3 years and a fine. any sexual relations within a marriage involving a minor, with or without consent, will be deemed statutory rape.
• trafficking: transporting a child for marriage, within or outside the jurisdiction is punishable with up to 3 years of imprisonment and a fine

d) court powers and legal status:

courts can issue injunctions to stop an underage marriage and protect the identity of those who report ittt. all offences are cognizable, non-bailable and non-compoundable.

opposition by religious scholars and parties:

when the Child Marriage Restraint Act 2025 was introduced, several religious scholars and political parties spoke against it and opposed its passage. groups like the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) staged walkouts in the senate and argued that setting 18 as the minimum age for marriage was against Islamic teachings. the council of islamic ideology also raised objections, stating that classifying marriage under 18 as “child abuse” or “rape” did not conform with Islamic law. these groups claimed the bill interfered with religious and cultural practices and they pushed to keep the older age limits. despite the opposition, the bill was passed unanimously. president zardari gave assent on 30th may 2025.