'Two 8-year-olds or four 4-year-olds': Pak cleric's child bride 'joke' sparks outrage

Pakistani Islamic preacher Mufti Tariq Masood, who commands a large following across social media platforms, has faced criticism over a series of sermons and remarks defending child marriage.In a report published by Daily Mirror Sri Lanka, the influential Deobandi cleric's comments have been reported in detail.One of the remarks highlighted in the report came from a viral video in which Masood joked that if someone could not find a 16-year-old bride, he could provide “two eight-year-olds” or “four four-year-olds”.

The comment drew criticism from people who said it trivialised child marriage and normalised the sexualisation of minors.The Daily Mirror said the backlash was dismissed by supporters as a misunderstanding, with the remark defended as a joke taken out of context.The newspaper also pointed to Masood's repeated opposition to statutory minimum marriage-age laws.