Pakistan council declares human cloning, change in gender 'un-Islamic'

The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has reportedly declared that human cloning and changing of gender are un-Islamic acts.

CII Chairman Maulana Muhammad Ali Sherani said that research and thinking was not banned in Islam and innovations could be made within the limits of Islam, but declared that human cloning was against the rule of religion. According to Daily Times, the chairman further said that while changing of gender was un-Islamic for both men and women, a person could be operated upon if he has characteristics of both sexes.

Sherani explained that the procedure of changing the sex should be done within Islamic injunctions. The chairman further said that test tube baby could be allowed in certain conditions, adding that gender selection was not prohibited in Islam and it can be done with the limits of shariah, however, it could not be used as a common practice.

Sherani further said that mother milk banks should not be permitted as use of this milk would complicate family life and would not be beneficial to health. The report added Sherani saying that 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 and evidence gained from such recordings should be used as supportive evidence.