Punjab Bill Seeks Overhaul of 1872 Christian Marriage Law

Overview

• Standing Committee on Minority Affairs chairman Philobus Christopher submitted a private-member Christian Marriage Act Bill, 2026 to the Punjab Assembly.
• The draft would require every Christian marriage to be recorded by union councils and by NADRA, Pakistan’s national identity database.
• It sets the minimum marriage age at 18 for both men and women and removes a colonial rule that barred wedding ceremonies after 6 p.m.
• The bill limits eligibility to couples where both partners are Christian and defines marriage as between a man and a woman.
• It widens who may officiate by allowing pastors from any government-registered church with recognised seminary training, a change expected to ease access to IDs, passports and inheritance if enacted.