Islamabad, May 28, 2025: The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has turned down a bill passed by both the National Assembly and Senate, which aimed to prohibit child marriage, under the age of 18. The rejection was based on the Council’s concerns over the imposition of a fixed age limit, which they argue does not reflect Islamic teachings.
A session of the Council, held on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Dr. Raghib Hussain Naeemi, took up the matter for detailed discussion. Members of the Council collectively agreed that setting a fixed legal age for marriage is against Islamic teachings. The council highlighted that such marriage-related issues should be viewed within the framework of religious, social, and cultural values.
Although the Council stated that it is important to discouraging child marriages, it does not support the idea of criminalizing underage marriage or labeling it as abuse punishable by law. Instead, members suggested that awareness campaigns and educational measures should be the primary tools for addressing the issue.
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The Council members also voiced strong disapproval of the bill that had been cleared by both houses of Parliament, ultimately voting to dismiss it. The Council is expected to finalize and issue its detailed set of recommendations after further internal reviews.
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Other important matters of national concern were also taken up during the session, but the discussion around the marriage age limit remained the main focus of the gathering.
