LAHORE: In a major step toward updating centuries-old personal laws, the Punjab Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights and Minority Affairs on Wednesday unanimously approved the Christian Marriage Bill 2026, raising the minimum legal age of marriage for both bride and groom to 18 years and paving the way for mandatory official registration with Nadra (National Database and Registration Authority) and local union councils.
The meeting, chaired by MPA Raheela Khadam Hussain, approved the draft legislation aimed at repealing and replacing the colonial-era Christian Marriage Act of 1872 to modernise the legal framework governing Christian unions in the province.
Mover of the bill, Falbous Christopher, presented the draft before the committee, highlighting that the existing 154-year-old law sets the minimum age of marriage at 16 for males and just 13 for females. Raising the age threshold to 18 years for both genders would reinforce protection against child marriages and ensure genuine free consent, he added.
Under the key provisions of the proposed legislation, it will become compulsory for Christian marriages to be registered with both the relevant union council and Nadra, a facility currently absent under the 1872 framework.
Marriages to require Nadra, UC registration under proposed law
The draft mandates that both marrying parties must belong to the Christian faith, while empowering ordained and religiously qualified pastors of churches registered with the Punjab government, as well as government-appointed marriage registrars, to solemnise marriages in accordance with Christian rites.
The bill also establishes procedural safeguards, including a requirement for prior written notice, public announcements of marriage, and the presence of at least two witnesses during the ceremony.
Furthermore, it eliminates historical restrictions regarding specific times or days for holding wedding ceremonies and requires detailed marriage records to be maintained through standardised registers and prescribed official forms.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Christopher emphasised that the primary objective of the Christian Marriage Bill 2026 is to consolidate, clarify, and modernise personal law for the Christian community while safeguarding individual rights and consent.
Following the committee’s unanimous nod, the bill will now be laid before the full house of the Punjab Assembly for final enactment.
Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2026
