Stephen J. By Bose, Chief International Correspondent of Worthy News
Islamabad (meaningful news) – Christian advocates have urged legislators in Pakistan’s Punjab province to approve child marriage laws in a country where millions of girls are married off as children.
According to the United Nations children’s agency UNICEF, “Pakistan is home to approximately 19 million child brides; 1 in 6 young women was married in childhood.”
Advocates say Christian girls are particularly vulnerable, with reports of abduction, forced conversion to Islam and marriage to Muslim men against their will.
On 11 February, the Governor of Punjab signed the Child Marriage Restraint Ordinance 2026.
The law aims to raise the minimum legal age for marriage to 18 and impose fines on violators, a move hailed by supporters as a “moral and social victory”.
The law is awaiting final approval
However, the ordinance will expire in May – 90 days after it comes into force – unless the Punjab Assembly approves it.
Advocacy group Voice of the Martyrs Canada (VOMC) said, “Although it is currently in effect, this measure is temporary.”
The group said the law has already been passed by a standing committee but still requires a final vote by the Punjab Assembly.
Without approval, activists have warned that protections for vulnerable girls could soon disappear.
conflict and risk
Opponents argue that the ordinance conflicts with individual freedoms and interpretations of Islamic law that allows marriage after puberty.
Christian advocacy groups say minority girls are often targeted because of their vulnerable social status in the predominantly Muslim nation.
Rights organizations have documented cases of abduction, forced religious conversion, and forced marriage of underage girls.
Observers have warned that failure to pass the law could leave thousands of people at risk of exploitation and abuse.
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