Pakistan, June 3 -- Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has drawn sharp criticism after announcing protests against the newly enacted Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Bill. Signed into law by President Asif Ali Zardari, the bill sets the minimum marriage age at 18 for both boys and girls and introduces strict penalties for violations.

Fazl claimed the law goes against Islamic teachings and accused the government of promoting a foreign agenda driven by international organisations like the IMF and UN. At a press conference, he warned the bill was a threat to Pakistan's Islamic identity, accusing authorities of weakening democracy and empowering extremist narratives by bypassing religious consul...