Marriage Laws In Pakistan?

Pakistan’s most of the population is Muslim, but the country is diverse in other religions as well. Hindu Sikhs and Christians are living in different areas of Pakistan. All these other religions are free to practice their religious obligations and can marry according to their faiths. Every year, thousands of Hindus, Sikhs and Christians get married in Pakistan as per their religious ceremonies. There are, however, certain written rules in the constitution of Pakistan for such marriages. If you read this article till the end, you will have an insight into different types of marriage laws in Pakistan and what they say.

Different types of marriage acts in Pakistan:

Here is the list of important marriage acts of Pakistan that you should know about:

Muslim Family Law Act 1961:

This law is the most applicable law in pakistan since the majority of the country’s population are Muslim couples. The law has stated everything about Muslim marriage clearly. The law states that two Muslims can marry each other after the ceremony of nikah, and no one has the right to stop them unless the marriage is not a child marriage. The legal age, according to the Muslim family law act 1961, is 16 for the girl and 18 for the boy. So, whoever gets married before this age will be eligible for punishment.

This act not only governs rules for marriages but also for Muslim divorces, khula and other cases like child custody or maintenance. Moreover, the act states that all Muslim marriages must be registered with the authorities.

All the clauses in the act are based on Islamic teachings regarding marital issues.

Hindu Marriage Act, 2017:

This act, devised in 2017, governs the rules for Hindu marriages in Pakistan. The act states that all Hindu marriages should be registered with Pakistani authorities as per the rules. Moreover, it states that a Hindu man can only marry a Hindu girl. The Hindu Marriage Act deals with Hindu separation and divorce issues as well.

Christian Marriage Act, 1872:

Just like the Hindu Marriage Act, this act supports the rules related to Christian marriages, separation and authorisations.

Special Marriage Act, 1872:

Applicable to individuals of any religion who choose to marry under this act. Allows inter-religious and inter-caste marriages. Couples opting for this act do not need to renounce their religion.

Punjab Anand Karaj Act, 2017

Sikh marriages that happen in Pakistan are ruled under this act. Not only Sikh marriages but the act also has rules for sikh separations or divorces.