Pakistan, May 30 -- In a major step to protect children's rights, President Asif Ali Zardari signed a bill into law on Friday that officially bans child marriage across Pakistan. The new law sets 18 years as the minimum legal age for marriage for both boys and girls and introduces strict punishments for violations.

According to the law, no "Nikah Khawan" or religious officiant is allowed to conduct a marriage ceremony if either of the individuals is under 18. If they do so, the marriage registrar can face up to one year in jail and a fine of Rs100,000. These measures aim to prevent child marriages at the grassroots level.

Additionally, the law declares that any man over the age of 18 who marries an underage girl will face up to three ye...