Punjab Assembly panel approves bill setting minimum marriage age at 18 for both males and females - Pakistan

The Punjab Assembly’s Standing Committee on Local Government and Community Development approved the Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2026, setting 18 years as the minimum legal age for marriage in Punjab. While the bill aims to stop underage marriages and protect children, some members, including committee chairperson Pir Ashraf Rasool, expressed reservations about its constitutionality. The bill also proposes imprisonment of up to one year and a fine of Rs100,000 for violations, as well as penalties for adults contracting marriage with a child. The bill will now be referred to the Punjab Assembly for approval.