In a major legislative breakthrough, Pakistan’s Parliament has passed the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2024, which seeks to ban child marriages in the federal capital by setting 18 years as the minimum legal age for both boys and girls. The bill, introduced by MNA Sharmila Faruqui of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), was passed unanimously by the National Assembly on May 16, followed by its approval in the Senate on May 19. It now awaits President Asif Ali Zardari’s signature to be enacted into law.

The legislation defines a child as anyone under the age of 18 and prohibits Nikah registrars from solemnizing marriages involving underage individuals. Registrars will be required to verify the age of both parties using Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs). Those who fail to comply may face up to one year in prison and a fine of 100,000 rupees.

Under the bill, any adult male who marries a girl under 18 may be punished with up to three years of rigorous imprisonment, while parents, accomplices, and facilitators of such marriages could face similar jail time and financial penalties. Forcing a child into marriage or trafficking a child for marriage purposes carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison and a fine of up to 1 million rupees. Cohabiting in a marital relationship with a child under 18 will be considered statutory rape, further strengthening the bill’s deterrence.

The law also empowers district and sessions courts to intervene and stop child marriages before they are solemnized, and introduces protection mechanisms for whistleblowers, including confidentiality and non-bailable offences. All related trials must be concluded within 90 days to ensure swift justice.

While hailed as a milestone by human rights defenders, the bill has sparked opposition from religious political groups. Lawmakers from the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) staged a walkout during the Senate session, calling the bill “un-Islamic” and inconsistent with cultural norms. They demanded its referral to the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), although proponents of the bill pointed out that similar legislation has been successfully implemented in Sindh Province since 2013 with no such controversy.

Nasir Saeed, Director of CLAAS-UK, stated “This legislation is a long-overdue and critical step in the fight against forced marriages and forced conversions of young Christian and Hindu girls. For years, underage girls from minority communities have been coerced into marriages through abduction and conversion. Raising the legal age to 18 and criminalizing such practices will serve as a strong deterrent and a safeguard for vulnerable children.”

He added that laws alone are not sufficient and must be strictly implemented to bring meaningful change. Saeed urged the government to provide training and awareness for law enforcement, registrars, and judiciary to ensure effective application.

The bill aligns with Goal 5 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which calls for the end of child marriage by 2030. The bill’s statement of objects underscores that child marriage violates international human rights norms and the Constitution of Pakistan. It argues that research globally and locally confirms the physical, emotional, and educational harm caused by early marriage, particularly to girls.

Once signed by the President, the bill will replace the Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929 in the Islamabad Capital Territory, bringing the law into the modern era and setting a strong precedent for provinces yet to pass similar reforms.