Fazl announces protests against child marriage bill

ISLAMABAD
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman announced nationwide protest against proposed legislation restricting underage marriages, calling the bill contrary to Islamic teachings and an attack on Pakistan’s religious identity.
Speaking at a press conference in Peshawar on Saturday, Fazl claimed the law is being shaped under foreign influence. “Pakistan’s identity is Islam, and that identity is under threat,” he said.
He accused the government of drafting legislation based on recommendations from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and United Nations resolutions, rather than Islamic principles. “The UN’s stance is being used to pass laws against early-age marriages. The President is also refusing to sign the religious seminaries bill,” he added.
Fazl criticised what he described as legislation in violation of the Quran and Sunnah. “Democracy is losing its case, and such actions are empowering the narratives of armed groups,” he warned.
The JUI-F leader alleged that past legal reforms, including those under former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, had targeted religious values. “The bottom line is that hurdles are being placed in the way of legitimate marriage while ease is being created for fornication,” he said, adding that the Council of Islamic Ideology had already rejected the proposed child marriage law.
Declaring a nationwide protest against the bill, Fazl said, “We will present our viewpoint to the world.”