Fazlur Rehman warns of protests over underage marriage ban bill

Express Tribune

19-05-2025

JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman condemned the proposed bill seeking to ban underage marriages, warning that failure to withdraw it could force his party to take to the streets, Express News reported.
Speaking in the National Assembly on Monday, Rehman criticised the timing of the bill, arguing that the country needs unity and solidarity, not controversy. 'This is a time to promote national cohesion, yet the government is pushing forward a divisive bill,' he said.
Referring to the bill that prohibits marriage for individuals under the age of 18, he questioned the necessity of introducing such legislation at this critical moment. 'If I oppose the bill, people will question my stance, but I must raise my voice,' he stated.
He urged the Speaker of the National Assembly to issue a ruling against the bill and cautioned the government not to compel his party to protest on the streets. 'It would be better to halt this legislation and refer it to the Council of Islamic Ideology. If they find no objection, I too will have none,' he added.
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Addressing recent regional tensions, Rehman said the entire country and Parliament are united in condemning India's aggression. He denounced India's swift blame on Pakistan following the Pehalgam incident in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir without conducting any investigation.
'India launched missiles targeting our civilian and religious sites, claiming they were attacking terrorist hideouts. They blamed us for their own security failures,' he said.
He praised Pakistan's armed forces for their prompt and effective response, stating, 'If our military establishment admits it cannot fight without national support, we must ensure unity. India initiated aggression, but our military's response will be remembered in history.'
The JUI-F chief also paid tribute to Pakistan's forces, highlighting the need to maintain unity even after a ceasefire. 'India's Parliament is mocking its own leadership. Modi stands isolated, without public support. To save face, he may resort to such tactics again,' he warned.
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He highlighted growing Pakistan-China ties, particularly in the defence domain. 'Our economic partnership with China has now entered the defence sphere. We must trust our ally.'
He further stated that European and Israeli technologies failed in recent encounters, whereas Chinese and Asian technologies succeeded. 'The world witnessed how our pilots effectively utilized modern technology,' he claimed.
He further stressed the importance of keeping the Afghan border peaceful. He referred to the drone strike in Waziristan, which was also discussed in Parliament, and mentioned his party's million marches in Peshawar and Quetta.
'We organized rallies to break the climate of fear and demonstrate national unity. We showed the world that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan are very much alive,' he concluded.