Pakistan: Statement by the Women's Action Forum
Source:
Women’s Action Forum Lahore Women’s Action Forum (WAF) welcomes the abolition of the punishments of stoning to death and whipping through the ‘Protection of Women Bill’ passed by the National Assembly on November 15th, 2006.
WAF appreciates the stand of those political parties who have categorically stated their commitment for the repeal of the Hudood Ordinances altogether.
WAF hopes that by eliminating the possibility for women who bring complaints about rape to be subsequently prosecuted for zina, the Bill will give women relief. However this will only be confirmed when the text of the Bill is made public.
In any case WAF denounces the political compromise made in approving the ‘Women Protection Bill.’ It is convinced that the new clauses relating to ‘fornication’ will be used to victimize people in the same way that the previous clauses on zina were used under the Hudood Ordinances. The introduction of the Hudood Ordinances in 1979 resulted in tens of thousands of cases being registered against innocent women each year. It enabled family members and others to use the Zina Enforcement Ordinance to imprison and persecute women (and men) who married of their own choice, and orally divorced women. It is unclear whether the Bill has removed the previous contradictions between the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance (1961) and the Hudood Ordinances.
Remarks that women’s issues are solely linked with the Zina Ordinance is inaccurate. Hundreds of women are currently imprisoned and many more on trial for allegedly committing offences under other aspects of the Hudood laws.
WAF is committed to its long-standing position that the Hudood Ordinances violate human rights and norms of justice. Moreover, it is the poorest of the poor who are subjected to the worst of the hadd punishments.
On behalf of Pakistani women, WAF reiterates its long standing demand to repeal the Hudood Ordinances in their entirety. We urge members of senate to initiate a debate on this bill when it is presented for assent and keenly scrutinize the clandestine amendments introduced in this Bill.
Women’s Action Forum Lahore
17th November 2006
In any case WAF denounces the political compromise made in approving the ‘Women Protection Bill.’ It is convinced that the new clauses relating to ‘fornication’ will be used to victimize people in the same way that the previous clauses on zina were used under the Hudood Ordinances. The introduction of the Hudood Ordinances in 1979 resulted in tens of thousands of cases being registered against innocent women each year. It enabled family members and others to use the Zina Enforcement Ordinance to imprison and persecute women (and men) who married of their own choice, and orally divorced women. It is unclear whether the Bill has removed the previous contradictions between the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance (1961) and the Hudood Ordinances.
Remarks that women’s issues are solely linked with the Zina Ordinance is inaccurate. Hundreds of women are currently imprisoned and many more on trial for allegedly committing offences under other aspects of the Hudood laws.
WAF is committed to its long-standing position that the Hudood Ordinances violate human rights and norms of justice. Moreover, it is the poorest of the poor who are subjected to the worst of the hadd punishments.
On behalf of Pakistani women, WAF reiterates its long standing demand to repeal the Hudood Ordinances in their entirety. We urge members of senate to initiate a debate on this bill when it is presented for assent and keenly scrutinize the clandestine amendments introduced in this Bill.
Women’s Action Forum Lahore
17th November 2006
