Pakistan: National Assembly passes Women’s Protection Bill
Source:
Daily Times - Pakistan The National Assembly passed the Protection of Women (Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill to reform Pakistan’s rape laws which includes several amendments to sections 7, 8, 9 and 12 of the draft, as proposed by a committee of religious scholars.
Government parties and the opposition Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians voted in favour of the legislation. The Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz legislators voiced opposition to the bill, though neither voted against it, the former walking out of the house before voting and the latter abstaining.
Wednesday also marked the end of the current National Assembly’s fourth parliamentary year. During a marathon debate before the passage of the bill, MMA legislators called the bill “un-Islamic” and reiterated their threat to resign.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman, opposition leader and MMA general secretary, warned that the bill would “make Pakistan a free sex zone”. He said there were several women’s rights issues that the bill did not address. He also said the bill was meant to “appease” the United States.
Though government representatives said the bill included amendments proposed by the ulema committee to the draft approved by the select committee to ensure that all its clauses were in consonance with the Quran and Sunnah, the MMA leader said the bill appeared to be neither committee’s version, and the government should defer it for a few days to build consensus.
Treasury and MMA representatives negotiated over this point in the speaker’s chamber during the break for Asar prayers, but the government ultimately rejected the offer. Liaqat Baloch of the MMA said real women’s rights issues were being ignored. “We will protest against this bill here and outside. We will resign. You get it passed and face the consequences,” he said. Dr Fareeda Ahmed Siddiqui of the MMA said the bill would “promote vulgarity among young girls”, as well as the sex workers’ industry.
Sherry Rehman of the PPPP said her party wanted a total repeal of the Hudood Ordinances, but supported the bill as the first step towards equal rights for women in Pakistan. Dr Farooq Sattar of the MQM accused the MMA of trying to impose its own brand of Islam on Pakistanis. Sahibzada Fazal Karim and Khawaja Saad Rafiq of the PML-N strongly opposed the bill, and voiced concern that it would damage the PPP-PML-N alliance in the ARD.
Law Minister Wasi Zafar later moved the motion for adopting the bill, which was passed clause by clause. The bill also includes making “lewdness”, defined as consenting sex by a non-married couple, an offence under the Pakistan Penal Code. Naveed Qamar of the PPPP suggested that the word “lewdness” be replaced by “fornication”. The amendment was accepted.
By Irfan Ghauri
16 November 2006
Maulana Fazlur Rehman, opposition leader and MMA general secretary, warned that the bill would “make Pakistan a free sex zone”. He said there were several women’s rights issues that the bill did not address. He also said the bill was meant to “appease” the United States.
Though government representatives said the bill included amendments proposed by the ulema committee to the draft approved by the select committee to ensure that all its clauses were in consonance with the Quran and Sunnah, the MMA leader said the bill appeared to be neither committee’s version, and the government should defer it for a few days to build consensus.
Treasury and MMA representatives negotiated over this point in the speaker’s chamber during the break for Asar prayers, but the government ultimately rejected the offer. Liaqat Baloch of the MMA said real women’s rights issues were being ignored. “We will protest against this bill here and outside. We will resign. You get it passed and face the consequences,” he said. Dr Fareeda Ahmed Siddiqui of the MMA said the bill would “promote vulgarity among young girls”, as well as the sex workers’ industry.
Sherry Rehman of the PPPP said her party wanted a total repeal of the Hudood Ordinances, but supported the bill as the first step towards equal rights for women in Pakistan. Dr Farooq Sattar of the MQM accused the MMA of trying to impose its own brand of Islam on Pakistanis. Sahibzada Fazal Karim and Khawaja Saad Rafiq of the PML-N strongly opposed the bill, and voiced concern that it would damage the PPP-PML-N alliance in the ARD.
Law Minister Wasi Zafar later moved the motion for adopting the bill, which was passed clause by clause. The bill also includes making “lewdness”, defined as consenting sex by a non-married couple, an offence under the Pakistan Penal Code. Naveed Qamar of the PPPP suggested that the word “lewdness” be replaced by “fornication”. The amendment was accepted.
By Irfan Ghauri
16 November 2006
