Islamabad:
The chief of Jamiat Ulema-E-Islam (JUI-F), Maulana Fazlur Rehman, announced the national protest against the proposed legislation that restricts the minor marriages, calling the draft law contrary to Islamic teachings and an attack on Pakistan’s religious identity.
Speaking at a press conference in Peshawar on Saturday, Fazl said the law is being formed under foreign influence. “Pakistan’s identity is Islam, and that identity is under threat,” he said.
He accused the government of writing legislation based on recommendations of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the resolutions of the United Nations, instead of Islamic principles. “The UN position is being used to approve laws against early age marriages. The president also refuses to sign the draft Law on Religious Seminars,” he added.
Fazl criticized what he described as legislation in violation of the Koran and Sunnah. “Democracy is losing its case, and such actions are enhancing the stories of armed groups,” he warned.
The Jui-F leader claimed that the previous legal reforms, including those of the former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, had signed up for religious values. “The conclusion is that obstacles are being placed on the path of legitimate marriage while creating ease for fornication,” he said, added that the Islamic Ideology Council had already rejected the proposed child marriage law.
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Declaging a national protest against the bill, Fazl said: “We will present our point of view to the world.”
When commenting on geopolitical matters, he said that the world had entered a new era of the cold war. “Asia, under China’s leadership, is emerging as a new economic power. After September 11, we talk about a global revolution. Now we are in a new phase,” he said.
Fazl also pointed to India, stating that “Modi’s foolishness has pushed the region to war” and that the initial hopes of the resolution of peaceful conflicts between Pakistan and India had decreased.
In a lighter moment, he hit the Party of the Peoples of Pakistan (PPP), saying: “I remember a joke: PPP is protesting against PTI because they have even broken the corruption records of the people’s party.”
In regional cooperation, he pointed out the importance of ties with Afghanistan and suggested that the Economic Corridor of China-Pakistan (CPEC) to Afghanistan and other countries would be a positive development.
What is the Child Marriage Law project?
President Asif Ali Zardari signed on Friday the bill of child marriage restriction of Islamabad Capital Territory 2025, establishing the minimum age for marriage at 18 in the Federal Capital. The new legislation criminalizes the solemnization of marriages where the child is a minor.
According to the law, no Nikah Khuwan (officiant marriage) can carry out a marriage involving minors, with punishable violations up to a year in prison and a fine of RS100,000.
In addition, a man over 18 who marries a minor girl can face up to three years of rigorous imprisonment. The bill also allows the courts to intervene if they are reported from a minor marriage, including the protection of the identity of those who report these cases.
The bill was initially presented at the National Assembly by PPP MNA Sharmila Faruqui and then presented in the Senate by Senator Sherry Rehman. However, the legislation faced the opposition of the ICI, which declared the bill contrary to Islamic principles.
The ICI, in his advice response, opposed the bill arguing that Islamic jurisprudence allows the marriage of girls once they reach puberty, regardless of their age. The Council argues that establishing a minimum fixed age of 18 for marriage contradicts certain religious interpretations and, therefore, should not be legally binding.
