ISLAMABAD: The age difference between husbands and wives in Pakistan has remained consistent over the past 35 years, though it has shown a slow but steady decline, according to an analysis of eight independent national surveys conducted by Gallup Pakistan Digital Analytics. The surveys, spanning from 1990-91 to 2024-25, examined a combined total of over 214,000 husband-wife pairs, revealing that the average Pakistani husband is typically 4-5 years older than his wife.

According to Gilani Research Foundation, the age gap has decreased from an average of 6.5 years in 1990-91 to approximately 5 years in surveys conducted since 2017. This trend indicates a modest shift towards more age-equal marriages over the past three decades. Patterns within the data also highlight regional and educational differences, with the age gap being wider in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan compared to Punjab and Sindh, and narrower among wives with higher education.

The surveys also noted variability in the proportion of couples where the wife is older, ranging from under 2% to over 12% across different surveys. This variation suggests potential discrepancies in survey designs rather than actual changes in marital age dynamics.