President Asif Ali Zardari has signed the Child Marriage Restraint Bill into law, criminalizing marriages of individuals under 18 years of age.
The bill, previously passed by both the National Assembly and the Senate, was introduced by Sharmila Farooqi in the National Assembly and Sherry Rehman in the Senate. The new law imposes strict penalties to curb child marriages and protect minors.
Under the legislation, marriage officiants are prohibited from conducting ceremonies involving anyone under 18, with violations punishable by up to one year in prison and a PKR 100,000 fine.
Men over 18 marrying girls under 18 face up to three years of rigorous imprisonment. Forcing a minor into marriage carries a penalty of up to seven years in prison and a fine of up to PKR 1 million.
