Islamabad, Pakistan – Web Desk: A petition has been filed in the Federal Shariat Court challenging the recently enacted Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Ordinance 2026, which criminalizes marriage under the age of 18 .
The petition, filed by Mufti Muhammad Aslam through his counsel Mudassar Chaudhry Advocate, names the Governor of Punjab and other relevant authorities as respondents . The petitioner argues that sections 2(d) and 3 of the Ordinance, along with other related provisions, violate the Constitution .
Constitutional and Religious Objections
The petitioner contends that Section 2(d), which defines a child as a person under 18, and Section 3, which penalizes contracting or solemnizing a marriage involving a child, are contrary to Islamic law . The petition asserts that while the state has the authority to legislate on matters of discipline and administration, it cannot interfere in matters governed by Shariat .
Legal Context
The challenge comes as Pakistan has been working toward harmonizing provincial laws on child marriage. A parliamentary committee on gender mainstreaming recently recommended that both national and provincial governments establish a uniform legal marriage age of 18 years for both men and women .
Sindh became the first province to set the minimum legal age for marriage at 18 for both sexes through the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act 2013 . The federal government, in consultation with provincial governments and UN partners, has been supporting legislation to set the legal age of marriage at 18 across all provinces .
Prayer for Relief
The petitioner has requested the Federal Shariat Court to declare the relevant sections of the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Ordinance 2026 void and to suspend the ordinance’s implementation until the final decision on the petition.
