Balochistan has taken a historic step by passing the Child Marriages Restraint Act 2025, officially setting 18 as the minimum legal age for marriage and introducing some of the toughest penalties Pakistan has ever seen. This move places Balochistan alongside Sindh as one of the provinces taking a firm, uncompromising stand against child marriage — and this time, the law does not stop at punishing parents. It goes after everyone who enables, performs, registers, arranges, or facilitates a child marriage.
For years, child marriage continued because loopholes allowed the people who solemnised the nikah, registered it, or “arranged” it to walk away without consequences. This new Act finally shuts that door. Whether it’s a nikah khawan, a registrar, a union council secretary, or any person involved in planning or promoting the marriage, they can now go straight to court and face serious punishment.
Under the new law, an adult male who contracts a marriage with a minor, or anyone who arranges, performs, promotes, or abets such a marriage, will face 2 to 3 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine between Rs 100,000 and Rs 200,000. This is not symbolic — it is real jail time. And if the offender refuses or fails to pay the fine, courts can impose an additional three months of imprisonment.
One of the most significant provisions is the mandatory CNIC verification. Nikah khawans, nikah registrars, and union council secretaries must check the age of both parties before solemnising or registering any marriage. If they don’t verify the CNICs or knowingly ignore the age requirement, they can be punished with up to one year in prison and a fine of up to Rs 100,000. This directly targets the system that allowed underage marriages to slip through without official checks.
All offences under this Act are cognizable, non-bailable, and non-compoundable. That means police can arrest without a warrant, bail is heavily restricted, and cases cannot be “settled” privately. No jirga, no family patch-up, no out-of-court compromise. Only a First Class Judicial Magistrate can hear these cases, ensuring stronger legal oversight.
The law also takes a humane and necessary step by protecting children born from such unlawful marriages. They will be considered legitimate, and their fathers will remain legally responsible for their maintenance. This ensures that innocent children are not punished for the wrongdoing of adults.
This Act also overrides and replaces all previous conflicting laws, including the colonial-era Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929, which had long become outdated and ineffective. With the new legislation, Balochistan finally has a modern framework aligned with national and international child protection standards.
The bill’s passage, however, was far from calm. The assembly session saw loud protests, torn bill copies, slogan-shouting, and a full-blown clash between treasury and opposition members. JUI-F’s Younis Zehri argued that the law contradicted Islamic teachings, while Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti cited Shariat Court judgments that upheld similar legislation. Despite the uproar, the bill was passed by majority vote.
After the session, CM Bugti defended the process, emphasising that the provincial government exercised its constitutional authority and that the bill underwent six months of committee review before reaching the floor. He acknowledged the opposition’s right to protest but insisted that the legislative process must continue for public welfare.
National bodies also reacted. The National Commission on the Rights of the Child (NCRC) celebrated the passage of the Act and noted that several of its recommended amendments were integrated into the final version. For the Commission and child rights advocates, this marks a long-awaited victory that aligns the province with global best practices. UNICEF and civil society partners have also welcomed the move, but they stress that the next challenge is implementation — from training registrars to building awareness at the community level.
Balochistan’s Child Marriages Restraint Act 2025 is more than a legal document; it is a statement that the province will no longer allow underage marriages to hide behind tradition or silence. By holding not just parents but the entire chain of facilitators accountable, this law lays the foundation for safer childhoods, stronger protections for girls, and a future where a child’s rights matter more than societal pressure.
Source: Radio Pakistan, UNICEF, Dawn
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