Senate approves bill for raising marriageable age to 18 years.

Islamabad -- Senate on Monday approved the federal Child Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Bill, 2017 - a bill that proposes to increase the minimum marriageable age for girls to 18 years- with a majority.

The Bill (Amendment) was moved by PPP senior leader Sherry Rehman. Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Jamaat Islami (JI), and Minister for Religious Affairs Pir Noorul Haq Qadri opposed the Bill (Amendment).

They termed the bill against the Islamic principles and walked out the Senate session in protest. JUI-F Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri said increase in the minimum marriageable age to 18 years is against the Islamic principles, adding that, puberty is a condition for marriage in Islam.

He said Constitutional change which is against the Islamic principles is not good. He said the bill should first be sent to Federal Shariat Court (FSC) so it can be reviewed under the Islamic principles.

Senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan said that he had opposed the amendment the day it was moved but he was never invited by the...