Pakistan: Punjab proposes bill to raise girls' marriage age to 18

The Child Protection Welfare Bureau (CPWB) has proposed the Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2024-25 to the Punjab government, advocating for raising the minimum age for girls to marry to 18 years. CPWB Chairperson Sarah Ahmad emphasised the urgent need to combat child marriage, citing statistics from the Pakistan Demographic Health Survey 2017-18.

As both an MPA and CPWB chairperson, Sarah Ahmad has sought the home department's support for the bill. The proposed legislation aims to safeguard the health, safety, and well-being of young girls affected by child marriage, aligning with the 18th Amendment and tailored to Punjab's context.

The bill mandates marriage registration with a computerised national identity card (CNIC) and outlines protocols for age verification. It proposes stringent penalties for adults involved in child marriages, including imprisonment of up to two years and/or fines of up to Rs 20,00,000. 

Ahmad has urged the prompt tabling of the bill in the Provincial Assembly to promote child welfare, equitable rights, and public health.