ISLAMABAD: On the pressure of some foreign donors, the government has decided to make Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) inactive. Sources said that the slot of CII chairman is vacant for the last three months and some 11 members out of total 20 were retired during the last three years, whereas the date for completion of remaining nine members’ tenure is getting closer, but the government did not nominate any person to fill these posts. Due to rigid stance of JUI-F’s Muhammad Khan Sherani as Chairman of CII on many issues, the government has decided not to give the position to its partner JUI-F again. Sherani was retired from his office in November 2016 and at that time he refused to continue in the office. At present, the CII is working with only nine members, Samia Raheel Qazi, Raza Khan, Noor Ahmed, Zahid Muhammad Qasmi, Abdullah, Ali Muhammad Abu Turab, Imdad Ullah, Iftikhar Naqvi and Manzoor Gilani. During the last three years, the government had to face resistance from the Council of Islamic Ideology on legislation as well the penalties laid down in Shariah. On the other hand, the international pressure was also mounted on it. The name of, Barrister Zafarullah, legal advisor to the prime minister, was among the front runners for the CII chairman’s slot but the PM neither approved him nor any other person for the slot. Sources said the government wants to keep the CII sleeping for some more time so that the problems for the government could not be swelled more. The last meeting of CII was held in November 2016 before the retirement of Sherani.