The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed serious concern over the Council of Islamic Ideology”s (CII) efforts to block the Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Bill. Passed by parliament, this significant legislation criminalizes child marriage, aiming to protect minors from exploitation.

HRCP in a statement on Friday, emphasized that framing child protection as conflicting with religion undermines children”s rights. The organization called on the state to adhere to constitutional and international obligations by implementing the bill without yielding to skewed interpretations.

The President Asif Ali Zardari had signed the bill after it was passed by the parliament. Earlier, the CII declared the bill un-Islamic and clerics had advised the President to avoid signing the bill.