- The law ‘made adultery and fornication easier’ and legitimate marriages difficult’: Fazl
PESHAWAR: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Sunday rejected the recently enacted Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Act 2025 and declared it against the Quran and Sunnah, announcing nationwide protest rallies to “create awareness” among the public.
Addressing a press conference in Peshawar on Sunday, the JUI-F chief rejected the law, alleging that it “made adultery and fornication easier while making legitimate marriages difficult.”
He announced a nationwide protest against child marriage, condemning the government for “caving in to international pressure” from organizations like the “IMF and FATF.”
Fazl emphasized that Pakistan was founded in the name of Islam, but its Islamic identity is under threat due to recent legislative actions. He criticized the government for modern slavery, stating that laws should align with Islamic principles rather than foreign directives.
“Pakistan is a strange country — during the time of General Musharraf, a constitutional amendment was passed in the name of women’s rights that decriminalized fornication,” Fazl said. “It took it out of the realm of sin.
The JUI-F leader revealed plans for a large-scale protest against child marriage across Pakistan, including a major gathering in Hazara Division on June 29. He vowed to mobilise supporters in various cities to oppose the bill.
Fazl pointed out that the Council of Islamic Ideology had already rejected the child marriage bill, reinforcing his stance that age should not be a condition for marriage in Islam, but rather physical maturity (bulugh).
During his speech, the JUI-F also touched on regional politics, stating that Pakistan and Afghanistan must strengthen diplomatic ties. He warned that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s actions have escalated tensions, posing a threat to regional stability.
Additionally, he criticized the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), claiming that its protests are not against corruption but rather an attempt to protect its record.
This protest against the child marriage campaign marks an important political move by JUI-F, as Fazlur Rehman continues to challenge the government’s legislative decisions.
On May 27, President Asif Zardari signed the bill into law after both houses of parliament—the National Assembly and the Senate—passed it with a majority vote. The bill sought to protect the rights of children and eventually eradicate marriages of children under the age of 18 in Islamabad.
However, the move attracted strong opposition from religious segments of society, with the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII)—a constitutional body responsible for giving legal advice on Islamic issues to the government and the Parliament — ruling that “classifying marriage under the age of 18 as rape did not conform with Islamic law.”
