High Court issues landmark ruling on marriage of minor girl

The Lahore High Court has issued an important ruling on the marriage of a minor girl, holding that under the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Act 2026, marriage involving a person under the age of 18 is illegal.

The court was informed that Hina Aslam was around 15 years old at the time of her marriage. In light of new evidence concerning her age, the court directed police to conduct an investigation in accordance with the law.

The court also set aside the decision of the Justice of the Peace rejecting a request for registration of a case. Police were directed to determine, on the basis of the new evidence, whether a punishable offence had been committed.

According to the ruling, the petitioner had previously registered a case alleging that his daughter had been abducted. However, the court observed that the law allows a fresh first information report (FIR) to be registered when new facts or evidence emerge.

The court further ordered that Hina Aslam be placed in the care of the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau and directed the relevant authorities to ensure her immediate safety, welfare and protection.

The ruling stated that a child’s wishes are important, but given the child’s young age, her opinion cannot automatically be treated as decisive.

The court noted that laws prohibiting child marriage are primarily intended to safeguard children’s rights, protection and welfare.

The police and relevant authorities were directed to provide the girl with immediate protection and take all necessary measures in accordance with the law.

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