Council of Islamic Ideology rejects bill to ban marriages under-18

ISLAMABAD: The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has rejected the bill passed by the National Assembly and Senate to ban marriage below the age of 18, saying it is not satisfied with the prescribed age limit.

The Council of Islamic Ideology held a meeting on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Dr. Raghib Hussain Naeemi, in which the members deliberated in detail on the issue of the age of puberty and the criterion of 18 years. The council was dissatisfied with setting 18 as the prescribed age for marriage.

The sources said that the council agreed on the need to address social and moral issues in the society but stressed that the subject of marriage should be examined from a social, cultural and religious perspective. The participants stressed the importance of examining matters related to marriage through a comprehensive lens that includes Islamic principles and societal norms.

The council concluded that setting a legal minimum age for marriage and considering underage marriage as a form of abuse with legal penalties contradicts Islamic teachings. However, the council supported discouraging child marriages through awareness and education, rather than criminal action.

The meeting discussed the five-point agenda in detail, after which the recommendations were finalized. The council is expected to issue its formal decisions and recommendations after internal consensus.

The sources further said that the council had strong objections to the draft law passed by both houses of parliament and had rejected the bill outright.

It is noteworthy that the Council of Islamic Ideology had called today’s meeting in which several important national issues, including the minimum age of marriage, will be considered.