How to Stop or Report a Child Marriage in Sindh: Age 18 for Both, 2 to 3 Years for the Groom, Nikah Khawan and Parents
Marriage under 18 is a crime in Sindh for boys and girls. Stop it with a magistrate's injunction or call 15. Groom, nikah khawan and parents face 2 to 3 years.
In Sindh, marriage under the age of 18 is a crime for both boys and girls under the Sindh Child Marriages Restraint Act 2013. To stop a planned child marriage, call the police on 15 or apply to a Judicial Magistrate for an injunction. The adult groom, the person who performs the nikah and the parents each face 2 to 3 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine.
The offence is cognizable, so the police can register an FIR and arrest without a warrant. It is non-bailable and non-compoundable, so the families cannot simply settle it between themselves. The court must finish the trial within 90 days. Here is how to act before and after the wedding.
Anyone under 18 is a child under the Sindh law
The Sindh Act defines a child as any person, male or female, under eighteen years of age. A child marriage is any marriage where either party is a child. So a 17 year old bride and a 17 year old groom are both protected, and the age limit is the same for both.
The Act was passed by the Provincial Assembly of Sindh on 28 April 2014 and published on 11 June 2014 as Sindh Act No. XV of 2014. It replaced the Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929 in Sindh, which had set a lower age of 16 for girls.
Age is proved with a birth certificate, a NADRA child registration certificate (B-form) or a school leaving certificate. If a child has no record, getting a NADRA juvenile card or a B-form fixes the date of birth on paper and makes the age hard to dispute later.
Three groups of adults face 2 to 3 years in jail
The Act punishes three groups. An adult man over 18 who marries a child. Anyone who performs, conducts, arranges or helps a child marriage, such as a nikah khawan or a middleman. And a parent or guardian who promotes it, allows it or fails to stop it. Each faces two to three years.
| Who | Section | Punishment |
|---|---|---|
| Adult man over 18 who marries a child | 3 | Rigorous imprisonment 2 to 3 years, and fine |
| Person who performs, arranges or helps the marriage | 4 | Rigorous imprisonment 2 to 3 years, and fine |
| Parent, guardian or anyone in charge of the child | 5 | Rigorous imprisonment 2 to 3 years, and fine |
| Person who disobeys a court injunction | 7(5) | Up to 1 year, or fine, or both |
A person who performs the marriage has one defence: proving they had reason to believe it was not a child marriage. A parent has a harder time. Section 5 says that once a child has been married, the person in charge of the child is presumed to have failed to prevent it, until they prove otherwise.
The law sets a minimum of two years for each of these offences. It does not set a fixed fine amount, so the court decides the fine.
Stop a planned child marriage with a court injunction
If you know a child marriage is being arranged, you can apply to a Judicial Magistrate of the First Class for an injunction under section 7. The magistrate can order that the marriage must not take place. Anyone who knowingly disobeys the order faces up to one year in jail, or a fine, or both.
- Collect what you can: the child's name and age proof, the date and place of the planned nikah, and the names of the families.
- Call 15 and report it. A child marriage is cognizable, so the police can act at once.
- Write an application to the Judicial Magistrate in that district, asking for an injunction under section 7 of the Sindh Child Marriages Restraint Act.
- Attach the age proof, such as a B-form, birth certificate or school certificate.
- The magistrate normally gives the other side notice first, but can skip notice when the matter is urgent.
- Keep a copy of the injunction and give one to the local police station.
The magistrate can cancel or change the injunction later, on its own or when someone applies. Anyone can apply for the injunction; the Act does not limit it to relatives. A teacher, a neighbour or a lady health worker who hears of a planned wedding can act.
After the marriage, file an FIR with the police
If the marriage has already happened, report it to the police station where it took place. Because the offence is cognizable, the police must register an FIR. Only a Judicial Magistrate of the First Class can try the case, and the trial must end within 90 days.
If the police refuse to register the FIR, you can apply to the Justice of Peace, who is the Sessions Judge, for an order. The steps are set out in getting an FIR registered in Sindh when police refuse. Keep a written note of every visit and the name of each officer.
The Sindh Child Protection Authority runs child protection units for cases of abuse and exploitation. Its head office is at the Social Welfare Training Institute, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi, phone 021-99333065, open 9 am to 5 pm. District child protection units in Karachi East, South, West, Korangi and Keamari list their own mobile numbers on the authority's contact page.
The law is different in other provinces. Punjab's 2026 Act also sets 18 for both and sends cases to the Sessions Court, as explained in the Punjab marriage age rules. Islamabad has its own 2025 Act, covered in stopping a child marriage in Islamabad.
| Rule | Sindh (2013 Act) | Punjab (2026 Act) |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum age | 18 for both | 18 for both |
| Trial court | Judicial Magistrate, First Class | Court of Sessions |
| Adult groom | 2 to 3 years and fine | 2 to 3 years and fine up to Rs 500,000 |
| Parent or guardian | 2 to 3 years and fine | 2 to 3 years and fine up to Rs 500,000 |
| Trial time limit | 90 days | 90 days |
Common questions
What is the legal age of marriage in Sindh?
Eighteen for both boys and girls. Anyone under 18 is a child under the Sindh Child Marriages Restraint Act.
What is the punishment for child marriage in Sindh?
Rigorous imprisonment of two to three years and a fine, for the adult groom, for anyone who performs or arranges the marriage, and for the parents or guardians.
Can the families settle a child marriage case?
No. The offence is non-compoundable, so a compromise between the families does not end the case. It is also non-bailable.
Who can stop a child marriage before it happens?
Anyone can apply to a Judicial Magistrate of the First Class for an injunction, or call the police on 15.
Is the child punished in a child marriage?
The Act punishes the adult man who marries a child, the people who arrange or perform the marriage, and the parents or guardians. It sets no punishment for the child.
Is a nikah khawan punished for a child marriage?
Yes, under section 4, unless they prove they had reason to believe it was not a child marriage. Ask for age proof before any nikah.
How we verified this
What we checked and where we read it.
Last checked 14 November 2026. We read the Sindh Child Marriages Restraint Act 2013 (Sindh Act No. XV of 2014), as notified by the Provincial Assembly of Sindh on 11 June 2014, from the Sindh Prosecution Department rules and regulations section. Sections 2 to 9 and 13 are used above. The Sindh Child Protection Authority's head office, phone, hours and Karachi district units come from the contact page of the Sindh Child Protection Authority; its listed email address ends in "gmai.com", which looks like a typing error, so it is not given here. The Punjab column comes from the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Act 2026 on the Punjab Code portal. This page explains the law and is not legal advice.
About the author
Tax, Bills and Technology Writer
Ali Akhtar is a young and curious voice here at Pakistan Era. He is currently pursuing his A-Levels and has a growing interest in Pakistan’s changing industrial landscape and educational trends. Ali likes to write in a way that helps him explain and explore the world around him. His writing reflects the perspective of the new generation navigating the evolving trends of Pakistan where technology, youth innovation, and shifting opportunities are reshaping the country’s future.
