Islamabad: Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has signed into law a landmark bill setting the minimum age of marriage at 18 years in the Islamabad Capital Territory.
The Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Bill, 2025, cleared both houses of Parliament earlier this week and was sent to the president for final approval on May 27. The bill seeks to legally prohibit the marriage of anyone under the age of 18 within the federal capital, a step long demanded by child rights activists.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)’s Senator Sherry Rehman hailed the development as a milestone in the country’s efforts to end child marriage, calling it a victory for the protection of women’s and children’s rights.
“This bill is not just a law, it is a commitment that our girls have the right to education, health, and a prosperous life. The signing of the bill is a symbol of a new era of reforms in Pakistan,” Sherry Rehman said.
“This law was possible after a long and difficult struggle,” she said, thanking PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, lawmakers across party lines, and civil society for backing the bill.
میں صدر مملکت جناب آصف علی زرداری صاحب کو خراجِ تحسین پیش کرتا ہوں جنہوں نے چائلڈ میرج ریسٹرینٹ بل کی منظوری دے کر ایک دیرینہ اور ضروری اصلاح کو قانون کا درجہ دیا۔
اس قابلِ تحسین اقدام پر محترمہ @sharmilafaruqi اور سینیٹر @sherryrehman کی قانون سازی میں قائدانہ کردار کو خصوصی… pic.twitter.com/jPkg3KbyFC— Nawabzada Jamal Khan Raisani (@JamalRaisani) May 30, 2025
The bill faced fierce criticism from religious quarters, particularly the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), a constitutional advisory body. The CII had objected to provisions in the bill that could classify underage marriages as rape, stating that such interpretation did not align with Islamic teachings.
Maulana Jalaludin, a CII member representing the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), publicly urged the president not to sign the bill, warning it would create anarchy in society. However, Zardari proceeded with ratification, indicating his government’s resolve to support legislative reforms for child protection.
Although the law applies only to Islamabad for now, rights groups are urging provincial governments to follow suit and adopt similar legislation nationwide.
Pakistan has long struggled with child marriage, particularly in rural and underdeveloped regions. Human rights advocates see the new law as a crucial first step toward establishing a uniform minimum age for marriage across the country.
