ISLAMABAD: The Council of Islamic Ideology has rejected a proposed bill seeking to ban child marriages in Pakistan, declaring several clauses of the bill, including criminalizing marriages under the age of 18, as “un-Islamic.”
In a statement released after a council meeting chaired by Chairman Dr. Raghib Hussain Naeemi, the IIC said that setting a minimum age for marriage goes against Islamic principles. The council emphasized that in Islamic jurisprudence, the key conditions for marriage are physical maturity (puberty) and mutual consent, not a fixed age threshold.
The bill had proposed declaring marriage below 18 years as a criminal offense and introduced penalties for those involved. However, the IIC stated that equating underage marriage with sexual abuse is not in line with Islamic teachings.
Additionally, the council also dismissed the proposal to make thalassemia testing mandatory before marriage. It recommended that such medical tests should remain optional and instead stressed the need for public awareness campaigns about genetic disorders like thalassemia.
In other developments, the IIC congratulated the government and Pakistan Armed Forces for what it described as a “victory in the battle of truth.” Chairman Naeemi praised the armed forces for responding effectively to enemy aggression with strategic excellence.
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