LAHORE
The Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2025, which clearly bans marriage under 18, has been sparking strong reactions from religious groups, but despite the President’s assent to the Bill, they do not seem to be backing down on the issue. A countrywide protest has been announced by religious groups after Eid.
Deputy Ameer of Jamaat-i-Islami Pakistan Liaqat Baloch, in a conversation with Voicepk, declared the law contradictory to Islamic principles, stating that in Islam, the basis of marriage is not age but puberty, which varies from person to person. According to him, puberty can be determined medically or through the observation of parents.
Liaqat Baloch stated that Islamic requirements were ignored in the legislation process, and that the Federal Shariat Court had already declared it un-Islamic. He said, “The President’s signing of this law is a blatant violation of constitutional and religious boundaries.”
He objected to the approval process of the bill, saying the haste in which it was passed indicates that it was done under foreign pressure and to please a foreign agenda. Liaqat Baloch informed that consultations with religious parties are ongoing, and a nationwide protest against the law will begin after Eid.
In this regard, the head of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F), Maulana Fazlur Rehman, also strongly opposed the law banning underage marriage during a press conference in Peshawar. He said that efforts are being made to end Pakistan’s Islamic identity.
“We are still passing through the era of slavery, and we will not accept legislation contrary to the Quran and Sunnah under any circumstances,” Fazlur Rehman stated. According to JUI-F, banning child marriage makes valid marriage in Islam more difficult and contradicts Islamic principles. Maulana Fazlur Rehman announced that his party will also hold nationwide protests against the law after Eid.
‘Law is protection for girls’
Meanwhile former Chairperson of the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) and veteran women’s rights activist Khawar Mumtaz rejected the criticism from religious circles, saying that the law provides protection to children, especially girls.
According to Khawar Mumtaz, “When a person can obtain an ID card, passport, and driving license at the age of 18, and is eligible to vote, then the same age should be set for marriage.”
She said that whenever legislation is made for women or children’s rights, religious groups always oppose it, which hinders efforts to protect vulnerable segments of society.
Member of the National Assembly from Pakistan Peoples Party, Sharmila Faruqui, w ho had tabled the Bill, responded to the JUI-F leader’s statement by saying that Islam and the Constitution of Pakistan both prioritized justice, human dignity, and protection.
In a statement posted on the social media platform X, she said that Article 25(1) of the Constitution guarantees equal protection of the law to all citizens, while Article 25(2) prohibits any kind of discrimination on the basis of gender.
According to Sharmila Faruqui, setting the minimum age of marriage at 18 years was a practical step toward justice and would help protect underage children from exploitation. She stated that there is no justification for such practices that are based on violations of human rights and constitutional guarantees.
Penalties, fines, and court orders
The bill was presented in the National Assembly by PPP leader Sharmila Faruqui and in the Senate by Sherry Rehman, and it was passed by both houses. President Asif Ali Zardari signed the bill, after which it became law. According to the law, marriage of children under 18 years of age is declared illegal.
It will be mandatory for the Nikah registrar to check the national identity card before registering a marriage.
Anyone conducting or registering a marriage without verifying identity documents may face up to one year in prison, a fine of 100,000 rupees, or both penalties.
A man marrying a girl under 18 years of age will face a minimum of two years and a maximum of three years of rigorous imprisonment. Child marriage is categorized as ‘child abuse’, for which a sentence of five to seven years imprisonment and a fine of one million rupees or both has been proposed.
Anyone employing or providing shelter to a child or girl for the purpose of marriage will face three years in prison and a fine.
If parents or guardians arrange the marriage of underage children, they will also face three years of rigorous imprisonment and fines.
Forcing underage children to leave their area for marriage purposes will be considered child trafficking, which carries a punishment of five to seven years imprisonment and a fine.
The court has been given the authority to issue restraining orders to stop child marriages. Courts will be bound to decide such cases within 90 days. This law will only be applicable within the limits of Islamabad.