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       ISLAMABAD: Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Syed Shibli Faraz on Monday flayed the government for excluding opposition from a delegation led by the PPP chairman supposed to visit key capitals of the world to expose Indian propaganda against Pakistan

       Raising the issue on a point of public importance, Mr Faraz said that after the unprovoked Indian aggression, the entire nation stood up to defend the country.

       He said the government had now decided to send a delegation abroad to apprise the world of Pakistan’s perspective but, he regretted, not even a single member of the opposition has been made part of the delegation.

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       “The government has shown the height of narrow-mindedness and short-sightedness; it is regrettable not to include the opposition lawmakers in this important delegation,” the Leader of Opposition said.

       He said the government was setting a wrong precedent by sidelining the opposition on an issue of national importance. Mr Faraz also pointed out that on the contrary, the Indian government had included representatives of the Congress party in its delegation.

       Bill to criminalise child marriages passed by Senate amid opposition from JUI-F and ANP

       Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said in his reply that only the government’s people are included in the government delegation.

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       He, however, lauded the opposition for demonstrating unity in these testing times. He said that the opposition has the political right to exp-ress its disagreement on the issue.

       Senator Kamran Murtaza of JUI-F from Balochistan on a point of public importance, raised alarm over the kidnapping of former general secretary of bar council Attaullah Baloch on Sunday night.

       Senator Anwaarul Haq Kakar co--ndemned Senator Kamran Murta-za’s statement and said that Mr Murtaza himself had become both jury and judge on the issue and is saying that ‘certain forces’ are involved in the kidnapping of Mr Baloch.

       Both lawmakers had a heated exchange and the chair repeatedly asked them to ensure order in the House.

       Another highlight of the day’s proceedings was the passage of a landmark bill seeking to criminalise child marriages amidst opposition from JUI-F and ANP.

       The bill, aimed at curbing and eventually eradicating the concept and phenomenon of child marria-ges, was moved in the House by PPP parliamentary leader Sherry Rehman.

       The bill has already been passed by the National Assembly where it was moved by PPP’s Sharmila Farooqui.

       The bill, seeking to protect girls from becoming mothers in their teens, was opposed by JUI-F on the plea that it should first be sent to the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), asserting that it had something to do with religion.

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       ANP Chief Aimal Wali Khan said the legislation should be made to prevent forced marriages and noted that the western world must not be followed. He said that if a man on his deathbed wants to see his 12-year-old daughter’s marriage solemnised before breathing his last with the consent of the bride and groom, no one should have an objection.

       The plea for referring the bill to CII was rejected by a majority vote before the bill was passed. Once the bill becomes an act, it will be implemented in the federal capital and no court other than the district and sessions judge shall take cognisance of or try any offence under it.

       The bill said that no Nikah registrar shall register a marriage where one or both the contracting parties are below the age of 18 years and any person solemnising Nikah must ensure that the contracting parties possess valid CNIC clearly showing their dates of birth.

       Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2025