Latest news with #CouncilofIslamicIdeology
Express Tribune
6 days ago
- Health
- Express Tribune
CII on birth spacing
Listen to article Pakistan stands at a critical demographic and health crossroads. With one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in the world outside Africa, a population of almost 250 million, high food insecurity and limited water, there is an urgent need for population policy reforms that keep the living alive while reducing the pace of new additions. Birth spacing could be an important tool towards this goal. The practice is straightforward — deliberate intervals between pregnancies to allow a woman's body to recover. Pregnancies too close together deplete a mother's nutritional reserves, significantly increasing risks of anemia, hemorrhage, miscarriage, and even maternal death. Adequate spacing allows her body to recover, leading to healthier pregnancies and stronger babies. It also helps women post-pregnancy, as healthier mothers can do more for their children. Birth spacing can also lead to smaller families, as parents have the time to plan and decide how many children they can raise. A recent Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) ruling has also strengthened this argument. The CII has endorsed birth spacing for maternal health and family planning, saying Islam not only permits, but even encourages responsible family planning. This religious endorsement will go a long way in dispelling misconceptions about family planning, and could help cross cultural barriers to discuss related subjects, such as contraception. Whether or not the government can actually capitalise on the edict, however, is up for debate. Federal and provincial authorities have failed to get contraception awareness or availability up to acceptable levels due to cultural barriers, leading to nonsensical awareness campaigns and a lack of political will caused by elected officials' fear of offending religious voters. The CII has created an opportunity for the government to actually design and implement a comprehensive, modern policy, but it is still unknown who, if anyone, is willing to take the first step.
Express Tribune
25-07-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
CII endorses birth spacing for maternal health
In a significant step toward addressing Pakistan's mounting public health challenges, the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has endorsed birth spacing as essential for the health and well-being of both mothers and children. The endorsement came during a consultative meeting between the CII and the Population Council, where key issues relating to maternal and child health, as well as rapid population growth, were discussed. The Population Council sought the support of religious scholars to promote responsible family planning within Islamic guidelines. During the session, the Council was presented with sobering statistics, including the alarming figure that approximately 11,000 women in Pakistan die each year due to complications arising from pregnancy and childbirth. The data underscored the urgent need for awareness and policy action to protect maternal and child health. The situation for children is equally dire, according to the data. The infant mortality rate stands at a shocking 62 deaths before the age of one among 1,000 live births. Furthermore, malnutrition is rampant, with long-term consequences for the nation's youth. The Population Council revealed that 18% of children are malnourished, and 29% are underweight. Additionally, 40% of children under the age of five suffer from stunting. These challenges are compounded by an education crisis, as every third child in Pakistan is currently out of school.
Business Recorder
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Umrah or Hajj: Govt seeks CII's guidance on ‘Mehram requirement' for female pilgrims
ISLAMABAD: The government has sought Council of Islamic Ideology (CII)'s guidance to decide that whether Mehram requirement for female pilgrims intending to perform Umrah or Hajj can be withdrawn or not. In the Standing Committee on Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony's meeting held under the chairmanship of Malik Muhammad Aamir Dogar, Minister for Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony Sardar Muhammad Yousaf Zaman apprised the committee that on the prime minister's instructions, the Religious Affairs Ministry is drafting a new Hajj policy as per requirements of the Saudi Government. He apprised the committee that according to new Saudi policy requirement for female pilgrims to accompany Mehram (male relative/husband) is no more required. On which, Senator Mujahid Ali said that Meharm is a religious requirement so how come Saudi Government can exempt it. On which, the minister said the government has asked the CII to guide it on this matter. The minister said this year, Hajj operation remained one of the finest. He said even in Mushahir and Arafat, air condition facility was provided to the pilgrims. 'During the Hajj whoever lodged the complaint the ministry addressed it on the spot and that's why the prime minister congratulated our ministry for the successful operation,' he said. Sardar Yousaf admitted that 63,000 intended pilgrims couldn't perform Hajj because of some technical problems and miscommunication. He said the amount 365 million Riyals is lying with Saudi Government. He said private Hajj operators want the government to give priority to those intending pilgrimage next year who have already deposited the amount and the prime minister also asked the ministry to give them priority. He said because of the rising cost of Hajj, the government is considering allowing pilgrims to pay in instalments. The members of the committee asked the ministry that due to higher cost of travel, the government should explore the option to start travelling through sea because travelling through ships is much cheaper. The officials of the ministry told the committee that they already on the feasibility of this option. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Govt plans to expand Hajj quota
The federal government is finalising a new Hajj policy that will request an expanded quota of 255,000 pilgrims for Pakistan next year, up from this year's 189,000. The policy, which is being prepared in consultation with stakeholders and will soon be tabled before the cabinet, also aims to explore the resumption of Hajj travel by sea and extend Saudi Arabia's "Road to Makkah" immigration facility to more Pakistani airports. The developments were shared during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Religious Affairs on Monday. The panel met under the chairmanship of Malik Amir Dogar at the Parliament House, where Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf gave a comprehensive briefing on this year's Hajj arrangements. He said this year's pilgrimage was "one of the most successful in recent memory", adding that the Saudi government and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had congratulated the Pakistani authorities for the well-executed operations. "For the first time, Pakistan received an 'Excellence Award' from the Saudi government for its outstanding Hajj management," he told the committee. He added that Pakistani pilgrims were provided with air-conditioned facilities at key ritual sites including Arafat. Yousaf said a new Hajj policy is being formulated under the instructions of the prime minister and in line with Saudi guidelines, and would soon be presented before the federal cabinet. Members of the committee were invited to share suggestions for the new policy. He added that the Saudi authorities had already issued their updated Hajj policy on 12th Dhul Hijjah. Regarding registration for Hajj 2025, the minister revealed that over 455,000 people had already signed up. "Pakistan's previous quota was 189,000 pilgrims. Next year, we hope to receive an expanded quota of 255,000, for which we've submitted a request to the Saudi authorities," he added. The committee also discussed reducing Hajj costs by offering installment-based payment options, resuming travel by sea routes and limiting the use of luxury accommodations. Without mahram During the session, the committee also discussed the Saudi government's recent policy allowing women to perform Hajj and Umrah without a mahram (male guardian). While the minister confirmed that no Pakistani pilgrims were assigned to any Indian company - clarifying that a firm named "Asia Bhart" was mistaken for an Indian entity due to its name - a member raised religious concerns. The committee subsequently decided to seek the opinion of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) on the permissibility of women travelling without a mahram for pilgrimage under Islamic teachings.
Business Recorder
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Proposed amendments in PPC: Senate panel seeks final opinion of CII
ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary committee on Tuesday sought the final opinion of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) on proposed amendments to the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) concerning the estimation and payment of blood money (diyyah). The Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice, chaired by Senator Farooq Hamid Naek, reviewed the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which aims to revise Sections 323, 330, and 331 of the PPC. The bill was introduced by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri. Explaining the rationale behind the proposed changes, the mover told the committee that the issue of blood money (diyyah) has long been a matter of concern for both jurists and the judiciary due to its great importance in people's daily lives. The bill seeks to modernise the valuation mechanism of diyyah, taking into account contemporary economic conditions and the spirit of Sharia, she says. According to the statement of objects and reasons of the bill that since traditional assets such as camels, gold, and silver have fluctuated significantly in value and accessibility, a modern framework is essential to ensure fairness for both victims' families and offenders. It is also necessary to create deterrence so that no one simply pays blood money (diyyah) and gets away, while the victim's family continues to suffer, it says. The committee recognised that the minimum amount of diyyah must be consistent with Sharia stipulations, as reaffirmed by the representative of the CII, who stated: The minimum amount of diyyah remains fix grams of gold and any amendment must strictly adhere to the injunctions of the holy Quran and Sharia. The committee deferred the bill for further deliberations in order to get comprehensive input from all relevant stakeholders. It decided to invite the Ministry of Interior to share their viewpoints, particularly on the practical implementation of the proposed amendments. The committee sought the final opinion of the CII, so that no legislation on diyyah must fall outside the bounds of Quranic principles. The parliamentary body for Ministry of Law will compile a comparative chart on values of silver, gold; etc, and to outline the prevailing practices in other Muslim countries. Senators Shahadat Awan, Kamran Murtaza, Mohammad Abdul Qadir, Zamir Hussain Ghumro, the Minister of State for Law and Justice, and Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri also attended the meeting. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
