Pakistan's Top Cleric Threatens To Defy Child Marriage, Domestic Violence Laws | Exclusive

Last Updated:January 28, 2026, 16:06 IST

Maulana Fazlur Rehman said he would facilitate and attend marriages involving minors, including children aged 10, 12, 15 & 16, to demonstrate his opposition to child marriage ban

Maulana Fazlur Rehman claimed he would “openly violate” the laws as a form of protest and questioned the state’s authority to enforce them. (Screengrab)

Pakistan’s top religious cleric and chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F), Maulana Fazlur Rehman, has ignited fresh political and social controversy by openly challenging recently passed and proposed family law reforms, including the Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2025 and the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act 2026.

Addressing the National Assembly, Maulana Fazlur Rehman rejected the amendments outright, declaring that he does not accept the changes being introduced in Pakistan’s family legislation. In a provocative statement, the JUI-F chief claimed he would “openly violate" the laws as a form of protest and questioned the state’s authority to enforce them.

Fazlur Rehman went as far as stating that he would facilitate and personally attend marriages involving minors, including children aged 10, 12, 15, and 16, to demonstrate his opposition to the proposed child marriage ban. His remarks drew sharp reactions across political and civil society circles.

The controversy unfolded as Parliament passed the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act 2026, presented by PPP MNA Sharmila Faruqui, amid loud protests from opposition benches, including members of the JUI-F. The legislation criminalises physical, emotional, and psychological abuse within households.

Under the new law, actions such as threatening a wife with divorce or a second marriage, forcing her to live with others without consent, or emotionally distressing wives, children, or household members are classified as punishable offenses. The act also defines a child as anyone under the age of 18, regardless of gender, effectively setting 18 as the minimum legal age for marriage in Pakistan’s capital territory.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman termed both pieces of legislation “unconstitutional and unlawful," arguing that they contradict Islamic principles. He demanded that the bills be referred to the Council of Islamic Ideology for review, insisting that Parliament lacks the authority to legislate on matters he described as religious.

Top government sources, however, expressed concern over what they described as the state’s failure to confront extremist rhetoric. According to senior officials, allowing influential clerics to publicly defy child protection and domestic violence laws signals a dangerous collapse of political will and risks undermining the rule of law.

Critics argue that the government’s reluctance to act decisively suggests that ideological appeasement continues to outweigh commitments to women’s rights and child protection, further deepening divisions within Pakistani society.

The developments have reignited a national debate over the balance between religious authority, constitutional governance, and fundamental human rights in Pakistan.

News world Pakistan's Top Cleric Threatens To Defy Child Marriage, Domestic Violence Laws | Exclusive

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