LAHORE: A Punjab Assembly panel on Wednesday unanimously approved the Christian Marriage Bill 2026, that paves the way for mandatory official registration with the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) and local union councils.

Approved by the Standing Committee on Human Rights and Minority Affairs, the bill — if passed by the assembly — would also raise the minimum legal age of marriage for both bride and groom to 18 years.

During the meeting, chaired by MPA Raheela Khadam Hussain, the committee greenlit 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. The bill was submitted to the committee in April.

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 legislation, it would become compulsory for marriages among Christians to be registered with both the relevant union council and the Nadra, a facility currently absent under the 1872 framework.

The draft proposes mandating that both marrying parties 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 would also establish 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 would eliminate historical restrictions regarding specific times or days for holding wedding ceremonies and would require detailed marriage records to be maintained through standardised registers and prescribed official forms.

Speaking to media after the meeting, Christopher emphasised that the primary objective of the Christian Marriage Bill 2026 was 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, pending final enactment.