Christians Urge Pakistan Lawmakers To Back Child Marriage Ban In Punjab

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

ISLAMABAD (Worthy News) – Christian advocates have urged legislators in Pakistan’s Punjab province to approve child marriage legislation in a country where millions of girls are married as children.

“Pakistan is home to nearly 19 million child brides; 1 in 6 young women were married in childhood,” according to the United Nations children’s agency UNICEF.

Advocates say Christian girls are particularly vulnerable, with reports of kidnappings, forced conversions to Islam, and marriages to Muslim men against their will.

On February 11, Punjab’s governor signed the Child Marriage Restraint Ordinance 2026 into effect.

The law aims to raise the minimum legal age for marriage to 18 and impose penalties on violators, a move supporters have described as a “moral and social victory.”

LAW AWAITS FINAL APPROVAL

However, the ordinance will expire in May—90 days after its introduction—unless the Punjab Assembly approves it.

“Although currently in effect, the measure is temporary,” said advocacy group Voice of the Martyrs Canada (VOMC).

The group noted that the legislation has already passed a standing committee but still requires a final vote by the Punjab Assembly.

Without approval, activists warn that protections for vulnerable girls could quickly disappear.

OPPOSITION AND RISKS

Opponents argue the ordinance conflicts with personal freedoms and interpretations of Islamic law that allow marriage after puberty.

Christian advocacy groups say minority girls are often targeted due to their vulnerable social position in the predominantly Muslim nation.

Rights organizations have documented cases of abduction, forced conversion, and coerced marriage involving underage girls.

Observers warn that failure to pass the law could leave thousands at continued risk of exploitation and abuse.

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