Fazl to show street power against anti-child marriage law  

PESHAWAR: JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Sunday announced a countrywide protest against the legislation to criminalise child marriage, as he repeated the stance that Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Act 2025 is un-Islamic.

At the same time, he declared that the Constitution was “being trampled”.

Maulana announced the plan after President Asif Ali Zardari signed the legislation, thus according his assent amid the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) opposing the passage of bill.

Read more: Marriage age restrictions are un-Islamic: Council of Islamic Ideology

Child marriage is a sensitive issue in countries like Pakistan despite the fact that the main targets – girls – are thus deprived of their right to choose their partner. But even before that, they lose access to education and the pursue any career in practical life.

It leads to higher birth rate and continued threat of population bomb, in country where resources are rare and the society has fully passed through industrialisation.

‘MARRIAGE MADE DIFFICULT’

The JUI-F chief told a press conference that the law had “made fornication easier while making legitimate marriages difficult”.

He said that “they are trying to ban the marriage of people under 18. The CII has already rejected this and all ulemas and their parties have agreed that it contradicts the Quran and Sunnah.”

Meanwhile, Maulana said they won’t focus on one subject. “Now, we will host rallies to create awareness about national sovereignty and Islamic governance.”

Earlier, the JUI-F had opposed the bill in both the National Assembly and the Senate, describing it “contradictory to Islamic principles.”