PA passes Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2026
The Punjab Assembly (PA) on Monday passed the Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2026 by a majority vote after a heated and lengthy debate between treasury and opposition benches during a session marked by legislative business and a question hour.
The session, chaired by Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, started 53 minutes late and witnessed sharp exchanges on multiple issues, including governance, land allotments, and public grievances.
During the proceedings, Provincial Minister for Minerals Sher Ali Gorchani alleged that during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf tenure, large tracts of pink salt land were allotted to favored individuals through amendments in rules, claiming that around 100,000 acres were distributed.
The opposition strongly reacted to the allegation.
Separately, opposition member Iqbal Khattak raised concerns over checkpoints in his constituency, alleging that citizens were being unnecessarily harassed in the name of security checks.
However, the main focus of the session remained the Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2026, which triggered an extensive debate. Provincial Information Minister Azma Bukhari strongly supported the bill, stating that early marriages negatively affect the health, education, and development of young girls.
She stressed that girls should be allowed to complete their education rather than being forced into early marriages.
She also highlighted procedural concerns, saying lawmakers had not been provided copies of the bill before its passage. On her objection, Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan directed that copies of the bill be immediately distributed to members.
Bukhari further stated that the legal marriage age, previously set at 16 during the tenure of Shehbaz Sharif, is now being raised to 18 under the new legislation. She also emphasiaed that proper documentation such as CNICs or birth certificates must be made mandatory for marriage registration.
The debate became more intense when treasury member Zulfiqar Ali Shah suggested that individuals under 18 should be allowed to marry with court permission, warning against what he termed legislation overriding societal norms. His remarks were strongly opposed by Bukhari, who argued that minors lack the mental and physical maturity required for marriage and should be protected from such practices.
She added that social and cultural pressures often force young girls into early marriages, calling for strict legal safeguards to prevent exploitation.