Pakistan’s first breast milk bank has been forced to suspend operations after criticism from religious sectorswho initially gave their approval but then changed their mind, an official source said this Saturday.

Described as a “key center for maternal health” during sor inaugurated less than a month ago, the suspension came after a ‘fatwa’ (Islamic religious decree) issued by a Koranic school from the city of Karachi, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Health of the province of Sindh, Ali Nawaz, told EFE.

The source clarified that it is a “revised” religious edict, since previously This same Islamic institution had given approval to a center intended to receive donations for newborn babies. who cannot receive milk from their mothers. “The matter has been referred to the Council of Islamic Ideology,” Nawaz added.

The Sindh Institute of Child Health and Neonatology said in a statement last Thursday that The suspension reflects his “ongoing commitment to act within the framework of Islamic jurisprudence”. According to the institute, the initial ‘fatwa’ gave the green light to build this bank supported by UNICEF, although under a series of conditions, such as the obligation to maintain a registry of donors to ensure that only Muslim mothers would donate milk for babies of this religion. .

The Minister of Health of Sindh, Azra Pechuho, inaugurated the center on June 8, ensuring that this was the first to comply with the precepts of Islamic law. Pakistan is a conservative country, where 96% of the population professes Islam and threats of blasphemy are a serious accusation that frequently lead to violence.