Christian Marriage Act Bill 2026

April 11, 2026

Lahore, April 10: The bill has been prepared and submitted in the Punjab Assembly by Standing Committee on Minority Affairs Chairman Philobus Christopher as a private member bill.

Bill has required amendments in Christian Marriage Act 1872 section 4, 60

1.   Christian marriages with Union Councils and the National Database and Registration Authority for legal purposes.

2. The age of groom and bride must be 18 years. Previously, it was 13 for bride and 16 for groom.

3. Both parties “Bride & Groom” must be Christians. Previously, at least one of them had to be Christian.

4.  The Church is clear about marriage between “man” and “woman” not persons or parties.

5.  The time of marriage can vary from 6 am to 7 pm.

6.   Main line churches (Catholic & Church of England) were allowed to solemnize marriage. Now required through the bill, churches must be registered with the government and clergy must be graduated by recognized seminaries.

Notes:

Christian Marriage Act 1872

Section 4. Marriages to be solemnized according to the Act. Every marriage between persons, one or both of whom is3[or are] a Christian or Christians,

Section 10 (1-2). Time for solemnizing marriage. Every marriage under this Act shall be solemnized between the hours of six in the morning and seven in the evening

Section 60. the age of the man intending to be married shall exceed *[sixteen] years, and the age of the woman intending to be married shall exceed *[thirteen] years

Christian Marriage Act (Amended) 2024:

Section 60-

(i) for the word “sixteen” the word, "eighteen", shall be substituted :

and

(ii) for the word “thirteen" the word, “-eighteen" shall be substituted.

Context:

Christian Marriage Act 1872 is an Amendment of Act 1938 established during the British colonial era (1757-1858). The Act was established in different scenarios for keeping in view the needs of that era that required to be reformed after partition of the Indo-Pak region. Only one amendment was made in 2024 regarding age of bride and groom.

 It took decades to be highlighted as necessary reform in concern with human rights. 

Pakistan’s current Christian Marriage Act is known as “Christian Marriage Act (Amended) 1872.

Objectives: 

Current amendments are required to be made to deal with legal and social issues. “to protect the inviolable dignity of children as their basic human rights…for being sexually abused…(Christian Marriage Act (Amended) 2024