Islamabad – May 28, 2025 — The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has turned down a new law passed by Pakistan’s National Assembly and Senate that would ban marriages for anyone under the age of 18.
The Council held a meeting on Tuesday, led by Dr. Raghib Hussain Naeemi, to discuss the issue. After reviewing the proposed law, the members said setting a fixed minimum age for marriage goes against Islamic teachings. They believe that marriage decisions should be based on religion, culture, and society—not just a set age.
While the Council agrees that child marriages should be discouraged, they do not support making them a crime. Instead, they recommend using education and awareness to guide people, rather than legal punishment.
In their statement, the CII strongly disagreed with the draft law passed by Parliament and officially rejected it. They said they will give their full recommendations after more discussions within the Council.
This decision is likely to spark more debate in Pakistan over how to handle child marriage while respecting religious and cultural values.
