A parliamentary panel asked the law ministry on Wednesday to fine-tune a women’s rights bill introduced in 2008 in order to protect women from Qazf (false allegations of adultery).
Moved by Kashmala Tariq of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid the bill aims to facilitate women who are subjected to rape under the Offence of Qazf (Enforcement of Hadd) Ordinance, 1979 or are unable to get cases registered against offenders because of accusations of Qazf.
The bill seeks to provide rape and Qazf victims with direct access to court. The proposed amendment aims to add sections to the ordinance stating that “the trial of cases under this Ordinance shall be completed within four months”.
It also adds that media should be prohibited from publicising proceedings without express permission from the court and also, “if the person against whom the offence of Qazf is committed or a complainant is a pauper, the court shall provide him a lawyer on state expense.”
International treaties on defence
Women’s rights, however, were not the only agenda on the table for the parliamentary panel. The National Assembly Standing Committee on Law and Justice also asked the law ministry to give its opinion regarding a private member bill that suggests parliamentary approval for international treaties on defence within 10 days.
The panel asked the ministry of foreign affairs to submit its point of view over the bill, which says that the parliament must approve all treaties and agreements relating to defence.
Earlier in October, Khurram Jehangir Wattoo of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had moved The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2011 for an amendment in Article 245 of the Constitution, relating specifically to the functions of the armed forces.
The amendment proposed that there should be an inclusion in Article 245 of all treaties, agreements or memoranda of understanding on defence must be presented before the parliament within 30 days of their signing or execution. Hence, these agreements would then be either subject to change or duly ratified by the parliament, once the bill is approved by the parliament.
No foreign intervention or violation of international boundaries shall be allowed except with the approval of parliament, the bill stated.
During the meeting, the amendment was supported by a majority of the parliamentarians but they expressed reservations regarding legal hitches involved in the process.
If such legislation is passed however, clandestine deals such as allegedly those over US drone strikes, will no longer be able to remain covert since they will have to be passed by parliament.
The committee decided to summon the defence secretary in the next meeting of the committee in order to ascertain the defence ministry’s position.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 1st, 2011.
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