LAHORE, Feb 11 (ABC): Punjab has fixed 18 years as the minimum legal age for marriage for both boys and girls and introduced strict penalties, including up to seven years imprisonment and fines reaching Rs1 million, under the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Ordinance 2026.
The ordinance was promulgated by the Governor and published in an Extraordinary Issue of the Punjab Gazette. It has taken immediate effect across the province.
Under the law, a “child” means any person below 18 years of age. Consequently, any Nikah or marriage where either party is under 18 will be illegal.
Registrars barred from registering child marriages
Nikah registrars cannot register such unions. If they do, they may face simple imprisonment of up to one year and a fine of Rs100,000.
Officials said the step closes a key loophole that previously allowed underage marriages to be recorded.
Adults face rigorous imprisonment
The ordinance places direct liability on adults who marry minors.
Any person above 18 years who contracts marriage with a child may face rigorous imprisonment of up to three years. The sentence cannot be less than two years. The court may also impose a fine of up to Rs500,000.
Child marriage treated as abuse
The law also classifies cohabitation resulting from a child marriage as child abuse. This applies even if consent is claimed.
Those who induce, persuade, groom or coerce a child into such arrangements may face five to seven years imprisonment. In addition, the fine cannot be less than Rs1 million.
Trafficking to evade law criminalised
The government has also criminalised attempts to move children outside Punjab to bypass the restrictions.
Anyone who transports or compels a child to leave the province for marriage may be charged with child trafficking. The punishment may extend to seven years imprisonment along with a fine of up to Rs1 million.
Recruiters, transporters and facilitators may face up to three years jail and fines up to Rs500,000.
Guardians also accountable
Parents and guardians are not exempt.
If they promote, permit or fail to prevent a child marriage, they may receive two to three years rigorous imprisonment and a fine.
Old law repealed
The ordinance repeals the Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929. According to the statement of objects and reasons, the new law aims to modernise child protection and remove gender-based discrimination by fixing 18 years as the minimum age for both sexes.
Officials said stricter punishments are meant to deter families, registrars and intermediaries and protect minors from early marriages.