The Council of Islamic Ideology, a constitutional body that advises the legislature on whether laws are in line with Islamic principles, has recommended to the government that provisions referring to gender equality should be deleted from laws.

The body made the recommendations in the course of reviewing the working of the National Commission on the Status of Women, Dawn News channel reported today.

The council's recommendations questioned the concept of gender equality in Pakistani laws and described it as "impractical and against Islamic principles".

It also said gender equality is a "vague" term and should be replaced by "equity and justice".

The panel added that the concept of gender equality was impossible to implement because of differences in the physical and mental capabilities of men and women.

The body's recommendations are expected to be submitted to the Law Ministry by the weekend, the channel reported.

The Council also opposed the current composition of the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) and proposed the inclusion of clerics in the panel.

The NCSW was set up in 1983 to ascertain the rights and responsibilities of women in Islamic society to suggest how these rights could be safeguarded.

The official website of the commission describes it as an initiative to "overcome obstacles being faced regarding gender equality".