KABUL - Mir Rahman Rahmani, the speaker of Afghanistan’s Wolesi Jirga (the lower house), on Saturday said that differences over the legal age of a child as determined by the law continue to prevent its final approval.
Lawmakers opposed to the act say that the law’s specification of children as “under 18” is against Islamic law, and some say they will not allow the House to discuss any other agenda item unless their reservations are addressed.
This was the second heated debate in the parliament since the first stage of the law was approved last Monday.
“Already a notification has been sent to an illegal court suggesting that if someone is arrested on charges of sexual practice under the age of 18, punish him,” said MP Habiburrahman Sayaf
The law will help victims of the illegal practice of Bacha Bazi and it will prohibit the recruitment of children as soldiers.
Government figures show that there are at least 3.8 million vulnerable children in Afghanistan. (TOLO NEWS)