Turkey's ruling AK Party is to withdraw a controversial proposed bill on underage sex and marriage for further consultations.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim announced the move on Tuesday, after opposition and rights group said the bill could allow men accused of sexually abusing girls to avoid punishment.

The proposal would have allowed sentencing in cases of sexual abuse committed "without force, threat or trick" between between 2005 November 16, 2016 to be indefinitely postponed if the perpetrator marries the victim.

Mr Yildirim said the AK Party would seek the opinion of opposition and civil society groups in order to adjust the proposal, which will be withdrawn from parliament's general assembly and taken back to a commission.

President Tayyip Erdogan has called for consultations on the proposed bill in order to reach a wider consensus.

Under the proposed law, men who sexually abuse girls under 18 without "force, threat or any restriction on consent" and then marry them could have their convictions quashed or could avoid prosecution.

The bill was approved in an initial parliamentary reading last Thursday, and was due to be voted on again in a second debate on Tuesday.

The government insists the law aims deal with the widespread custom of child marriage in Turkey, and to remedy the situation of imprisoned men who are have been married to underage women in a religious ceremony with the consent of their family.

However, critics argue that the law would legitimise child rape and exonerate men who assault girls.

Fidan Ataselim, Istanbul representative of the group Let's Stop Women's Murders, said: "It means the perpetrators and the rapists will threaten families, propose money and will force them to marry off their children.

"This will pave the way for forced child marriages. A legal loophole will be created for that."

The UN children's fund said it was "deeply concerned" about the bill.

Around 3,000 people gathered in Istanbul's Kadikoy square at the weekend to protest the bill.

Some waved banners with slogans such as "Rape cannot be legitimised" and "AKP, take your hands off my body".