Pakistan’s first breast milk bank closes after clerics deem it "un-Islamic"

The first breast milk bank for premature babies in Pakistan, located in Karachi, has been shut down following objections from clerics who deemed it "un-Islamic."

The facility, which had received religious approval from a provincial Islamic seminary in December, was forced to close almost immediately after opening in June when the approval was withdrawn.

Dr. Jamal Raza, the executive director of the Sindh Institute of Child Health and Neonatology Hospital where the milk bank was established, emphasized the importance of the facility. "Breast milk is the only way to improve the chances of survival for premature babies," Raza stated, adding that there is a widespread misunderstanding about the purpose of the milk bank, which was exclusively for premature infants.

The milk bank was designed to help premature babies in a country with a neonatal mortality rate of 39 deaths per 1,000 live births, one of the highest in South Asia, according to the UN Children’s Agency.

A religious edict, or fatwa, had initially approved the facility in December 2023, issued by Jamia Darul Uloom, an Islamic advisory body in the province.

However, the National Council of Islamic Ideology later raised concerns about potential violations of Islamic kinship laws, which stipulate that a husband and wife cannot be breastfed by the same woman. Inamullah, the head of research at the council, highlighted the importance of knowing the donors' identities to avoid complications in future marriages.

Despite the closure, Dr. Raza and the hospital are negotiating with the clerics to reopen the facility and remain optimistic about a positive resolution. "We are confident that the outcome will be favorable," Inamullah expressed.