A new survey has revealed that 8 percent of men in Pakistan have multiple marriages due to different reasons.
The survey conducted by Gallup & Gilani Pakistan asked a representative sample of married men, “Is this your first marriage?” While 92% responded negatively, 8% admitted to having been married more than once.
The study, conducted nationwide, sought to understand the reasons behind this trend.
Further inquiry into the reasons for multiple marriages revealed that 36% cited the death of a previous spouse, while 33% stated religious permission allowing men to have up to four marriages. Other reasons included divorce (7%) and Khula (wife-initiated divorce) (5%), whereas 19% either did not know or chose not to respond.
The survey was conducted between January 7 and January 12, 2025, using telephonic interviews (CATI) with a sample size of 518 married men from both urban and rural areas across all four provinces. The error margin for the study is estimated at ±2-3% with a 95% confidence level.
The survey did not reveal whether the trend of second marriages in the country is rising or not. It should be noted that the country’s law does not bar men from multiple marriages; however, society is not in favor of second marriages in the presence of the first wife. This is why many men are unable to have a second wife, despite having a strong desire for it.
