Clerics endorse concept of birth-spacing to save lives of mothers and children

ISLAMABAD: Around forty prominent Ulama of the country representing all major schools of Islamic jurisprudence have endorsed the concept of birth spacing as a means to save the lives of mothers and children. Speaking at a high level meeting organized by the Population Council in collaboration with UNFPA, in Islamabad on Tuesday, the Ulama unanimously underscored the need for improving the health and well-being of families in order to lay down the foundation of a strong Islamic welfare society. The Ulama unanimously endorsed that birth-spacing should be considered as a basic right of mothers and an important intervention for improving maternal and child health outcomes. For this purpose the use of all reversible contraceptive methods as prescribed by medical practitioners was allowed in Islam. This message needs to be clearly enunciated from the pulpit so that it permeates to the grass root level especially among rural communities. They also urged that policy makers must ensure that access to services and information is improved. They also recommended introducing changes in the educational curriculum that should be focused to prepare the youth to enter into harmonious marital relations and enable them to raise their families in accordance with Islamic precepts. Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad, Imam , Badshahi Masjid and Chairman Interfaith harmony, responding to a presentation made by Dr.Ali Mir of the Population Council on the state of mothers' and children health in Pakistan said that it is most unfortunate that despite the high status accorded by Islam to women especially mothers, they were relegated to an inferior position in society.

On the other hand, citizens staged a protest against the gas load-sheddingat Samundri Road in Faisalabad. According to details, hundreds of the people demonstrated a protest against the gas cut off by blocking the road.

The protesters said that people are facing difficulties due to the gas shortage in their areas and further demanded the government to solve the matter as early as possible.

The women

of

the community protested by taking out the stoves and utensils and chanted slogans against the perofrmance of local administration. Moreover, the protest was called off after the time span of two hours by negotiating with the police.