Punjab Governor Saleem Haider Khan on Wednesday promulgated an ordinance declaring child marriage a non-bailable offense and fixing 18 years as the minimum legal age of marriage for both males and females.
The legislation removes a gender disparity that previously existed in the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929, fixing the minimum legal age for marriage in Punjab to 18 for men and 16 for women. Under the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Ordinance, 2026, offenders face up to seven years’ imprisonment and fines of up to Rs. 1 million.
The law, promulgated while the Punjab Assembly was not in session, comes into effect immediately.
It further bars marriage registrars from registering child marriages, with violators facing up to one year in jail and a fine of Rs. 100,000. Any legal adult who contracts marriage with a child faces rigorous imprisonment of two to three years and a fine of up to Rs. 500,000.
The ordinance has declared cohabitation after a child marriage “child abuse,” with violators facing five to seven years’ imprisonment and a minimum fine of Rs. 1 million. It also introduces strict punishments for child trafficking linked to marriage and holds guardians accountable for promoting or failing to prevent underage marriages. Violating guardians face 2-3 years in prison and a fine of up to Rs. 500,000.