Rome: A Pakistani imam who publicly defended child marriage has been deported from Italy. The 25-year-old Imam Ali Kashif was sent back to Pakistan following the direct intervention of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Police confirmed that he was placed on a flight from Milan Malpensa Airport to Islamabad. The Italian government was angered by his controversial statement on a television show, where he said that he could marry nine-year-old girls. He had been living in Italy for six years and was deported under the ‘national security law’.
Sting operation and public outrage
The Pakistani imam’s views came to light through a sting operation conducted by the Italian channel Rete 4’s programme Fuori dal Coro. During the operation, a reporter posed as an Italian citizen interested in converting to Islam and engaged him in a conversation about marriage practices. In this interaction, the imam claimed that nine-year-old girls could be married to men in their 30s and 40s. He further stated that girls become eligible for marriage after their first menstruation. The footage was later broadcast, triggering widespread outrage across Italy.
Following the broadcast, Paolo Sartori, the police commissioner of Brescia in northern Italy, reviewed the footage. After examining the material, authorities concluded that the imam’s views posed a threat to public order. Officials stated that such remarks were deeply concerning and incompatible with societal norms and legal protections for children. The law used in this case grants the Italian government the authority to deport foreign nationals who are considered a danger to society or a threat to public life. Authorities emphasised that statements endorsing child marriage violate the safety and human rights of minors and are fundamentally opposed to Italian values. The decision to deport Kashif was therefore taken as a matter of public interest and national security.
The incident, which took place earlier this month, quickly escalated into a national controversy after the programme aired. Public reaction was strong, with widespread condemnation of the imam’s statements. Officials reiterated that justifying child marriage under the guise of religion is unacceptable in a modern society governed by the rule of law.
Ali Kashif, who had resided in Italy for six years, was ultimately deported under the National Security Act. This legislation empowers the government to expel any foreigner deemed a “danger to society” or a threat to public order. Authorities maintained that his remarks crossed that threshold, prompting swift action.
