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Pakistan’s first Human Milk Bank initiative, which was suspended after a new fatwa, faced further delays as the Islamic Ideological Council postponed its decision, opting to discuss the matter in its next meeting.
According to media reports, doctors briefed the council on the concept and necessity of a human milk bank, addressing various questions from members.
Following a detailed discussion, the council decided to further examine the issue from a jurisprudential perspective.
Examples of human milk banks operating in Iran and Malaysia were presented during the session to highlight their functionality in Islamic countries.
Reports further revealed that Allama Syed Iftikhar Naqvi, representing Fiqh Jafariya, deemed it permissible under certain conditions, while scholars from other schools of thought requested more time to deliberate.
Earlier this year, the Sindh government imposed a ban on the general sale of baby formula milk in the province.
Under the new regulation, formula milk can only be sold with a doctor’s prescription.
The Sindh Assembly passed the Sindh Protection and Promotion of Breastfeeding Child Nutrition Law, which aims to restrict the sale of artificial milk.
The law mandates that formula milk can no longer be sold at medical stores across the province without a doctor’s prescription.
As part of the law, all companies will be required to label their formula milk products as “artificial milk” on the packaging.
