Pakistan: Disband the Council of Islamic Ideology

As a supra-parliamentary body established during Ziaul Haq’s Islamisation drive, the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) sure is making its presence felt, albeit in the worst possible manner. In the span of just two days, the CII has delivered some very controversial and, quite frankly, ridiculous ‘edicts’. First, it has claimed that it is not necessary for a man to seek the permission of his existing wife, or wives, before marrying again. Secondly, it has declared that underage marriage is allowed in Islam and that prohibiting it is actually un-Islamic! It has stated that while marriage can take place at any age, consummation of the marriage can happen at puberty. Really? It is so thoughtful of the CII to consider that little caveat. This is not all, the CII has also chosen this time to take a stab at Pakistan’s Muslim Family Law, saying that it creates unnecessary complications when it comes to following the ‘true’ Islamic way of conducting this marriage business. First and foremost, does anyone now, in government or otherwise, need another reason to close this defunct body, which has only one attribute — its nuisance value? Can we allow this sort of rabid nonsense to be put out there by these mullahs, showing the world at large that Pakistan is entertaining the likes of them and their ilk? The Muslim Family Law Ordinance of 1961 was a Godsend at the time because it was implemented to protect women and prevent all sorts of injustices perpetrated against them. The law made it mandatory for men to seek permission from their existing wife, or wives, before entering another marriage. Marriages were ordered to be registered to have validity so that secret marriages of the polygamous variety could not take place. It was the norm for men to marry at will, often mistreating the wife they already had. The Quranic criteron for multiple marriage, which speaks of equality for all (an impossible virtue), was hardly ever followed and so the family law came into effect thanks to the farsightedness of Ayub Khan, who was a comparatively secular dictator. Even then the mullahs were up in arms but their draconian ideas were defeated; it seems they have kept the grudge alive. To argue that underage marriage is Islamic shows that the CII bases its values on traditional, tribal and historical codes, not the religion. It is time to move beyond this insanity and disband the CII, relaying it to the dustbin of history where it belongs.