Bill banning child marriage fails in Pakistan after it’s deemed ‘un-Islamic’

[edhopper]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/01/15/bill-banning-child-marriage-fails-in-pakistan-after-its-deemed-un-islamic/

Pakistani lawmakers had to withdraw a bill aimed at curbing the practice of child marriage after a prominent religious body declared the legislation un-Islamic.

The bill, which proposed raising the marriage age for females from 16 to 18, also called for harsher penalties for those who would arrange marriages involving children. Despite the laws in place, child marriages, particularly involving young female brides, are common in parts of the country. It's estimated that some 20 percent of girls in the country are married before they turn 18.

Will we see arguments that this has nothing to do with religion. Even though the reason states it was "un-islamic" by a religious body?

[rug]

1. But I've bee told right here that the Quran condones child marriage.

Btw, there are about a dozen U.S. states that have a lower marriage age.

[edhopper]

2. It does

that is why this bill was stopped.

Are their girls as young as 8 getting married here?

[rug]

3. No, fortunately.

[edhopper]

4. There are sects in this country

that approve of such a thing. Good thing they are small in number.

[Lordquinton]

13. Are those laws based in religion?

Have they been challenged and stopped?

If only there were a lawyer who was against child marriage who could adequately challenge such laws...

[jonno99]

5. interesting...link:

12 & 13 for MA & NH respectively...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_marriage_in_the_United_States

[rug]

6. Thanks fr looking it up.

[edhopper]

8. do you know how often that actually happens?

And unlike Pakistan, the vast majority here don't approve.

[jonno99]

10. Yep - and my guess is that the age differences are closer for "young marrieds" in the US...nt

[edhopper]

11. those low ages

come with parental consent.

[LeftishBrit]

7. Disgusting reactionaries

There is a big tension in Pakistan between those who believe in progressivism and human rights, and those who think that it was a bad idea that the Middle Ages ever ended.

It has something to do with religion, in the sense that it is caused by religious control over government. I have nothing against religion as such, but strongly believe in the separation of church/mosque/synagogue and state

[edhopper]

9. Yes theocracies are never good

what does that tell us about religions and religious principles?

[cleanhippie]

14. +1

[NeoGreen]

12. k&r