How common are arranged marriages in Pakistan according to available research?
Last reviewed:
Direct answer
Arranged marriage is widely documented in Pakistan, but no recent nationally representative survey publishes a single percentage using a consistent arranged-versus-self-choice definition. The Pakistan DHS asks whether a woman had a say in choosing her husband, not whether relatives introduced the match; 80.5% reported some say in 2017–18. A marriage can therefore be family-arranged and individually accepted. Claims that a fixed percentage of all Pakistani marriages are arranged usually combine unlike definitions or limited studies and should not be presented as a current national fact.
Sources used
Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2017–18
National Institute of Population Studies and The DHS Program
National survey evidence for marriage timing, women, households and health indicators.View sourceMarriage decision making, spousal communication, and reproductive health among married youth in Pakistan
Global Health Action
Published 2011. Analyses 1,803 married women aged 15–24 from a 2001–02 survey; historical associations, not a current survey of spouse-selection choices.Source checked:
View source