The Punjab Assembly has on Monday passed the Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2026, establishing 18 years as the legal minimum age for marriage for both males and females.

The new legislation classifies underage marriage as a non-bailable offence, shifting the previous legal limit which stood at 16 years for women.

The session began with friction as lawmakers were asked to deliberate without physical copies of the bill. Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari termed the situation “unprecedented,” stating, “It is for the first time that members are sitting in the assembly without receiving copies of a bill under consideration”.

Following her objection, Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan ordered the immediate distribution of the documents.

During the debate, Bokhari advocated for age verification through national identity cards or birth certificates, citing the need for “mental and physical maturity” before marriage. She also dismissed a suggestion from PML-N lawmaker Zulfiqar Ali Shah, who proposed allowing marriages for those under 18 with court permission.

Shah argued that the house should not ignore “societal values” and raised concerns regarding the “moral implications” of restricting early marriages.

Bokhari countered by highlighting the toll child marriage takes on girls, specifically criticizing the practice of using women to settle disputes. She reminded the assembly that the Federal Shariat Court (FSC) previously endorsed similar legislation passed in Sindh.

The bill was originally promulgated as an ordinance by Punjab Governor Saleem Haider in February and was set to lapse in May. The Assembly’s approval ensures the law remains in permanent effect.

A significant amendment, moved by PML-N MPA Ejaz Augustine and supported by members from both sides of the aisle, was also incorporated. The amendment mandates that the best interests of the child be the primary consideration during investigations, prosecution, and sentencing. It explicitly states that a child should not be treated as an offender for being a party to a child marriage.

Additionally, the law now dictates that if a child is coerced or trafficked for marriage, the court cannot rely solely on the child’s statement of consent when determining custody or protective orders.

A separate amendment seeking to declare marriages void if they resulted from abduction or deception was withdrawn by its movers after opposition from Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman. The final bill passed with a majority vote.