8% of married men in Pakistan have multiple marriages: Gallup Survey

A recent survey by Gallup & Gilani Pakistan has revealed that 8% of married men in the country have entered into multiple marriages.

The study, conducted nationwide, sought to understand the reasons behind this trend.

The survey asked a representative sample of married men, "Is this your first marriage?" While 92% responded affirmatively, 8% admitted to having been married more than once.

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.