ISLAMABAD, Jun 13 (APP): Special Representative of the Prime Minister for Interfaith Harmony and Middle East Hafiz Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi on Monday said population balance was the key to all social inequalities.
Addressing National Ulema Conference on Population Balance: Need, Importance and Islamic Teachings here, he said Islam did not allow anyone to give birth a number of babies until you had enough resources for their proper upbringing in the society.
Asharfi who is also the chairman of Pakistan Ulema Council said that Shariah had given clear-cut direction on the better health, quality education and state-of-the-art training of the children.
He said no doubt, Islam had permitted to keep four wives at the same time but on the basis of social equality and justice.
Regarding marriageable age of the girls, he said besides puberty, maturity was also essential to tie the knot as she had to deal with multiple family affairs during married life.
He made it clear that there was no bar to follow population planning in Islam keeping in view the health issues of the mother and baby.
Ashrafi said if a man who was living below the poverty line due to his low income, he should avoid further additions of children in his family adding on the contrary, if a man who could afford all the basic amenities for their children, he may give the birth as many children as he liked.
He thanked the Ministry of National Health, Services, Regulation and Coordination to change the slogan of “two kids are good enough” as it had created conflict between the ministry and religious scholars.
The new slogan of ‘population balance’ had bridged the gap between the two important segments of the society, he added.
He urged the Ulema and Mashaykh to highlight this issue in their Friday sermons for the establishment of a healthy society.
