Pakistan

Govt tries to bring Fazl around over pro-women bills

Special team to meet JUI-F chief to iron out differences

Obaid Abbasi April 03, 2016

JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman. PHOTO: INP/FILE

ISLAMABAD:

A government-backed special team will meet Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman tomorrow to address his party’s reservations over two recently enacted women-friendly bills.

The Anti-Honour Killings Laws (Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill and the Anti-Rape Laws (Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill were presented in the joint parliamentary session last month. The JUI-F, however, had raised objections over the bill, claiming a few clauses were against Islamic injunctions and needed to be reviewed.

Fazl says PM has promised to tweak women’s law

In order to remove the party’s reservations, the government formed a team headed by Barrister Zafarullah Khan, a special assistant to the prime minister. Law and Justice Minister Zahid Hamid is also a member of the team.

A senior member of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz told The Express Tribune the panel will meet the JUI-F chief to know about his concerns, which may be considered in the joint sitting of parliament scheduled for April 11.

The JUI-F’s legal team comprising former Supreme Court Bar Association president Kamran Murtaza, Advocate Muhammad Jalal, Fazlur Rehman’s younger brother Attaur Rehman and former Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Akram Durrani will also meet the government’s team.

JUI-F lawmaker Naima Kishwar said the party wanted the clauses against Islamic injunctions removed and the bills to be sent to the Council of Islamic Ideology, which gives its recommendations to parliament.

Barrister Zafarullah said the meeting was expected on Sunday but Maulana Fazl was not available. The meeting has been rescheduled for Tuesday.

Women protection law: ‘Don’t give into pressure from religious parties’

He voiced hope that the JUI-F’s concerns would be removed after he had listened to the government’s views.

The two bills were initially introduced by former PPP senator Sughra Imam as private members bills passed by the Senate two years ago. The government could not get the National Assembly to adopt the laws within the stipulated 90 days and had to bring it before the joint parliament sitting held on March 15.

The honour killings bill aims to prevent murders of women in the name of honour by making the crime non-compoundable. The anti-rape bill seeks to make DNA test a compulsory part of evidence in investigating rape cases.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 4^th, 2016.

COMMENTS (3)

NHA | 8 years ago | Reply It is an attempt on the part of religious parties to gain cheap popularity with ignorant and poor people of Pakistan. The educated and enlightened pay no attention to the self-appointed religious leaders of whom there is a glut and each one of them is agitating for a space and piece of the cake. Whatever little respect they had , they lost it at the D-Chowk when they resorted to filthy and abusive language . Thier narrative is outdated and does not fit the human requirement of the 21st century. In contrast, look at the Pope , he washed the feet of muslims and hindus alike.

Truth | 8 years ago | Reply You are inviting someone who has never condemned that draconian custom.

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

Replying to X