The members of NA who voted in favor of passing Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929 deserve praise for undoing a wrong. It is the jurisdiction of parliament alone to legislate and other than superior judiciary no institution has the constitutional right to review.
Attempt by certain quarters which included Religious Affairs Minister to refer it to Council of Islamic Ideology were defeated. It is time that CII stop interference in legislation of laws relating to women rights, because of their obvious bias. This country has suffered in the past when certain sections of ulema gave fatwas declaring Zia’s intervention in Afghan War as Jihad when in fact it was nothing but a war between USA and Russia where we allowed our territory to be used as sanctuary for foreign elements to fight a proxy war. In Islamic history during days of Holy Prophet, PBUH and his companions, jihad was always launched led by able- bodied leaders and their sons. In numerous such battles many embraced Shahadat. The hypocrisy is that Zia and his junta went from rags to riches.
This country was created by politicians led by MAJ and Allama Iqbal with numerous others such as Liaquat Ali Khan, Qazi Eassa, Haroon Abdullah, Malik Barkat Ali, Zafar Ali Khan, Nishtar etc. Majority of Ulema opposed and gave fatwas against MAJ and Allama Iqbal. Quaid chose Jogendranath Mandal, a leader of Begali Scheduled Caste Dalits who made common cause with the Muslim League as Minister of Law and Labour with additional charge of Commonwealth and Kashmir Affairs.
MALIK TARIQ,
Lahore, May 1.
