LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has issued an important ruling on child marriage in Punjab.
The court has held that living together after a marriage involving a person under 18 can legally amount to child abuse.
The ruling comes under the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Act 2026.
Minimum Marriage Age Set at 18
Under the law, both boys and girls must be at least 18 years old to marry in Punjab.
The court said the law does not recognize the consent of a bride who is under 18 in a child marriage case.
Therefore, an underage bride cannot legally consent to the abuse arising from such a marriage.
The ruling also sets out strict penalties for people who encourage or force an underage girl into such a situation.
Jail and Fine for Child Marriage
According to the court’s ruling, anyone who encourages or forces a girl under 18 into child abuse may face five to seven years in prison.
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Those involved in an underage marriage may also face a fine of up to Rs1 million.
The court stressed the need to protect children from the consequences of underage marriage.
Girl Was 15 Years and Two Months Old
The case involved a girl whose age was recorded by NADRA as 15 years and two months at the time of her marriage.
After reviewing the case, the Lahore High Court directed the SHO of Kasur to register a case under the child marriage law.
The court also set aside an earlier decision by the Justice of Peace in Kasur, who had refused to order registration of the case.
Court Rejects Request to Send Girl to Husband
The court rejected a request to send the minor girl back to her husband.
Instead, it ordered that the girl be transferred to the Child Protection Bureau.
The decision places child protection at the center of cases involving underage marriage.
It also makes clear that a marriage cannot remove the legal protection available to a child under Punjab law.
Significant Ruling on Child Protection
The Lahore High Court’s decision provides an important legal interpretation of Punjab’s new child marriage law.
In particular, the ruling emphasizes that marriage does not make a person legally an adult before reaching the age of 18.
The decision could also influence how police and other authorities handle future cases involving underage marriages in Punjab.
