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Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lawmaker Sharmila Faruqui has warned that relations between the PPP and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have become increasingly tense following the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections. Speaking to journalists outside Parliament, Faruqui said the situation between the two coalition partners was currently strained. She added that it was difficult to predict how the political situation would develop in the coming days. Her remarks came amid discussions over the political relationship between the PPP and PML-N and growing differences on several issues. Faruqui said the issue of creating new administrative units should be handled through Parliament. She opposed turning the matter into a debate primarily conducted through television channels. She said any proposal to create new administrative units should be formally brought before the National Assembly and the Senate. According to her, Parliament is the appropriate forum for discussing matters that could have major constitutional and administrative implications. The PPP leader stressed that such issues require detailed debate and consultation. She said lawmakers should have the opportunity to examine the proposals and discuss their possible political, administrative and constitutional consequences. Faruqui also highlighted the impact of the AJK elections on relations between the PPP and PML-N. She said the situation between the two parties had become “very tense” after the elections. She warned that the political developments could take different turns. Her comments indicate that differences between the coalition partners may become more prominent if the issues are not addressed through dialogue. The PPP and PML-N have remained key political partners at the federal level. However, differences between the two parties have surfaced on various political and administrative matters. Faruqui’s comments come at a time when the question of new administrative units has also generated political debate. The proposal has attracted attention because any major change in the administrative structure could have wider political and constitutional implications. The PPP lawmaker maintained that such a sensitive issue should not be settled through media discussions. She called for the matter to be brought before both houses of Parliament for a proper debate. Her statement also reflects the growing political uncertainty following the AJK elections, with questions emerging over the future course of relations between the PPP and PML-N.

ISLAMABAD: A legal challenge to Punjab’s recently enacted law criminalising marriages involving individuals under the age of 18 has moved forward after the Federal Shariat Court cleared procedural objections and directed that the petition be fixed for hearing. The petition, filed by Mufti Muhammad Aslam through his counsel Mudassar Chaudhry Advocate, questions key provisions of the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Act 2026. The Governor of Punjab, through the provincial secretary, and other relevant authorities have been named as respondents in the case. According to the petition, Sections 2(d), 2(c) and other provisions of the law are inconsistent with the Constitution and Islamic principles. The petitioner argues that declaring marriages involving individuals under the age of 18 as a criminal offence is contrary to Shariah and contends that the state has no authority to interfere in matters governed by Islamic law. The petitioner has requested the court to declare the provisions prescribing criminal penalties for under-18 marriages unlawful and strike down the disputed sections of the Act. The plea also seeks a stay on the implementation of the law until the Federal Shariat Court reaches a final decision. The case had initially faced a procedural objection because it challenged an ordinance that has since been passed by the Punjab Assembly and enacted as law. After the legislation was formally approved, the petitioner amended the plea to challenge the Act instead of the ordinance and resubmitted it before the court. Following the amendment, the Registrar of the Federal Shariat Court removed the objection and ordered that the matter be scheduled for hearing before the bench. The upcoming proceedings are expected to attract significant legal and public attention, as they concern the interpretation of child marriage laws, constitutional provisions and Islamic jurisprudence. The court’s eventual ruling could have important implications for the implementation of the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Act 2026 and the broader debate surrounding the legal age of marriage in Pakistan. Until the court hears the matter, the law remains in force unless a stay order is granted during subsequent proceedings.