Nicholas Kristof blames Islamists who 'defame Islam' after child marriage ban fails in Pakistan

Awful news out of Pakistan where we’re seeing reports that a bill attempting to raise the age of marriage for females from 16 to 18 was pulled by lawmakers after clerics deemed it “un-Islamic” and not “Sharia-compliant.”

Bill banning child marriage fails in Pakistan after it's deemed 'un-Islamic' https://t.co/k9r0V9DdH6

— Ishaan Tharoor (@ishaantharoor) January 16, 2016

The bill meant to ban child marriage in Pakistan is withdrawn after being found to not be Sharia-compliant. https://t.co/Zw8Q9QvlEe

— Adam Hart (@adamhart) January 15, 2016

These Islamic scholars believe girls as young as 9 can get married. From the Washington Post:

Clerics on the council object to minimum age requirements, arguing instead that an individual can marry once reaching puberty, which can be as early as the age of 9.

The NY Times’ Nicholas Kristof responds:

Good grief. The Islamists defame Islam. https://t.co/gQt2v1QInU

— Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) January 16, 2016

That’s head spinning. But we’ve seen this kind of apology for Islam before with ISIS:

So unlike ISIS. https://t.co/tdGfzkihKF

— Matthew DesOrmeaux ⚜ (@authoridad) January 16, 2016

Ffs. https://t.co/Cs9KtW3B2g

— Nate Pentz (@natepentz) January 16, 2016

I don't even have words for the level of disgust I'm feeling right now. https://t.co/OuOZfFmKDv

— Jenny from the Vox (@jenn_ruth) January 16, 2016

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Prominent Pakistani journalist Reham Khan slammed her country’s parliament for failing to act:

Why are all the parliamentarians silent? Put party politics aside to support child rights. Support anti child marriage bill

— Reham Khan (@RehamKhan1) January 15, 2016

Shameful that in 2016 we are backing down from Anti child marriage bill while Pakistan ratified the United Nations CRC in 1990.

— Reham Khan (@RehamKhan1) January 15, 2016

Article 25 (3) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.Every person below the age of 18 years is a child under the UNCRC.

— Reham Khan (@RehamKhan1) January 15, 2016

Why is it shocking that politicians in an “Islamic Republic” would listen to Islamic clerics?

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