Re: Hudood Ordinance Amended!!! (Merged)
It’s formally approved by the president and is now the law of the land!
http://www.pakistantimes.net/2006/12/02/top.htm
ISLAMABAD: President Pervez Musharraf Friday signed the Women Protection Bill (WPB) under article 70 of the Constitution.
The Women’s Protection Bill has already been passed by both the Houses of the Parliament; the Senate and the National Assembly and after signed by the President, it has become enactment of parliament and is effective immediately throughout the country.
“The bill was sent to the president by the prime minister yesterday, which he signed and returned today,” Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durrani was quoted as saying on Friday. .
An earlier report said that President Pervez Musharraf has signed the Women Protection Bill (WPB) on Friday, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Sher Afgan here said.
The ministry of parliamentary affairs last week forwarded the bill to the President for signing after its approval from both houses of the Parliament.
Pakistan Peoples Party-Parliamentarian from opposition ranks extended their support to the government for approval of the women’s bill from the Parliament.
However, Pakistan Muslim League (N) and Muttahida Majalis Amal (MMA) opposed the legislation.
Meanwhile, religious party activists held protests on Friday in diverse cities around Pakistan.
They chanted slogans against the government at a demonstration in Rawalpindi, the city next door to Islamabad, and demanded that the government scrap the bill, and there were smaller rallies in other cities after Friday prayers.
Liberal groups and human rights activities have hailed the amendment, as they want a complete abolition of the Hudood Ordinances.
And a report from Peshawar says that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Friday urged the nation to join hands in ensuring that women get their due rights and are fully protected against all injustices.
Talking to newsmen, after addressing a gathering of women here at the Governor House, the Prime Minister said certain elements were trying to take undue political mileage.
To a question he said all the legislation done by the parliament would be implemented across the board in line with the country’s constitution.
About Hisba Bill, the Prime Minister said it was not a law yet and the government was studying its different clauses to come up with an appropriate decision about it.
Shaukat Aziz said that the government could not even think of making any law repugnant to Islam.
He said whatever was being done by some was only politically motivated as the bill was in full conformity with the injunctions of Islam.
The Prime Minister said he was very encouraged to see the enthusiastic response of the women of NWFP towards the government’s efforts and said the government will continue to do more providing better health, education and other facilities to them.
Federal Minister for Women Development and Youth Affairs, Sumaira Malik has said that the present government has started a process of doing away with the discriminatory laws against women which were used to jeopardize their rights in the society.
Addressing a gathering of women workers of PML at Governor House on the occasion of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz here Friday, the Federal Minister said that womenfolk in the country were living in oppressed condition due to such discriminatory laws and country’s image abroad was also being tarnished.
Therefore, she continued, the Women Protection Bill was passed to redress the injustice being meted out to them during the past few decades.
Sumaira Malik said that the amendments made in Hudood Ordinance are not in conflict with the tenets of Islam and injunction of Quran rather it ensure true protection of women rights as enshrined in our religion.
Highlighting the role of women in the economic and social development of the country, the Federal Minister said that true welfare society can be established only when the women are given their due rights.
She said the political will exist in the Ministry for Women Development to take more measures for ameliorating the lot of women