CII backs licences for religious TV channels, voices alarm on law and order
The Council of Islamic Ideology met on Thursday and expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in the country as well as international conflicts involving Middle Eastern countries. In a meeting presided over by CII Chairman Dr Muhammad Raghib Hussain Naeemi, members discussed terrorism in Pakistan and a range of legal and national issues, including licences for religious television networks.
The Council of Islamic Ideology also turned its attention to the seas. Members expressed concern about shipping lines and maritime traffic because of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz following the US-Iran war, and criticised, without naming names, the Houthis’ intervention in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea. However, the majority decided not to name a “brotherly Muslim country” in the minutes of the meeting.
Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthis have been locked in a fierce conflict for weeks, with attacks spreading to the waterways. Pakistan’s own position has been stated clearly at the UN, where Pakistan condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia at the Security Council. The shipping crisis has also shaken markets, with two ships sunk by projectiles near Hormuz and Brent crude climbing near $106 as the US weighed easing shadow-fleet sanctions.
According to a statement, the council also expressed regret over the death of three Pakistanis in attacks by Somali pirates on the high seas and offered prayers for them. The deaths add a grim new detail to the dangers facing seafarers in the region.
Council of Islamic Ideology backs licences for religious channels
On the media front, the council said religious channels should be issued licences like other channels, not just NOCs, and that laws and rules should be amended accordingly. At present, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority has no category of “religious channels”.
However, a senior Pemra official told Dawn that religious channels were not allowed because it could lead to an uneasy situation. Sect-specific channels could provoke sectarianism, the official said, adding that if non-Muslim communities wanted satellite channels under such a policy, it could invite resentment from Muslim clerics.
The council also approved ringtone messages about respect for flags and banners used during Muharram. The public service messages, to be approved by the telecom regulator, would be audible to callers during the month of Muharram and highlight the sanctity of the month.
Women, inheritance and maintenance
In the wake of the Federal Shariat Court’s decision on the abolition of “chaddar and parchi”, the council declared that a special inheritance tribunal should be established to dispose of cases quickly related to women’s property and inheritance. The FSC had ruled in March 2025 that the cultural and tribal customs of chaddar and parchi, used to pressure or force women into giving up their ancestral inheritance, were un-Islamic and illegal.
The council also appreciated the “Muslim Family Laws (Father’s Maintenance) Amendment Bill 2026” presented by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri. It considered the Shariah status of Article 120 of the Limitations Act 1908 on the recovery of maintenance of children and wives for past periods, and declared that such rights do not expire even after the time limit for a hearing has passed.
The CII lauded the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the death sentence of Qaiser Ayub in a blasphemy case, saying it proved that incidents of blasphemy were a reality. The meeting was attended by Allama Tahir Ashrafi and Dr Intikhab Ahmed Noori, among others. Fuel-price watchers, meanwhile, can follow the latest petrol and diesel revision as energy costs stay in the headlines.
Frequently asked questions
What did the CII say about religious TV channels?
The council said religious channels should be given licences like other channels instead of just NOCs, and that laws and rules should be amended. Pemra has no “religious channels” category at present.
Why did Pemra oppose religious channels?
A senior Pemra official said religious channels were not allowed because sect-specific channels could provoke sectarianism and create an uneasy situation.
What did the CII say about shipping?
Members expressed concern about shipping lines and maritime traffic after the Hormuz closure, and criticised the Houthi intervention in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, without naming a country in the minutes.
What did the CII decide on women’s inheritance?
The council declared that a special inheritance tribunal should be set up to quickly dispose of cases about women’s property and inheritance, following the FSC’s abolition of “chaddar and parchi”.
