Sex change surgery, cloning unlawful: CII

Advisory body head warns against use of milk obtained from breast milk banks.

ISLAMABAD:

The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) on Tuesday declared human cloning and sex reassignment procedures as unlawful as per Islamic teachings.

The announcement came at the 193rd meeting of the council, headed by its chairman Maulana M Khan Sheerani.

During a press conference Maulana Sheerani pointed out that research and thinking was not banned in Islam and innovations could be made within the ambit prescribed by the faith.

The advisory body decreed that sex reassignment procedures were prohibited for both males and females. The only exception to the rule, the council said, occurs in the case of transsexuals, who may be operated upon to be assigned one of the two mainstream sexes.

Sheerani addressed a raft of other issues as well during his press conference.

For instance, he warned against feeding infants milk obtained from breast milk banks as this would complicate family.

Regarding in vitro fertilisation (IVF), the CII announced that test tube babies may be allowed under certain conditions only.

Moreover, he said the use of secret recordings for court cases should not be part of a general policy but it should only be done in specific cases. Evidence gained from secret recordings should be used as supportive evidence, he added.

Maulana Sheerani said recommendations of the council should be implemented.

In its next meeting, he said, the council will take up the issues of Christian and Hindu marriage and divorce, decision of the Federal Shariat Court regarding Zakat deduction and Sharia veil, among other issues. 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 6^th, 2013.