Govt grilled over ‘flawed’ women protection laws

Lack of budget to expand women protection centres across Punjab cited as reason for delay

LAHORE:

Lahore High Court (LHC) came down hard on Punjab government over not getting implemented the Protection of Women Violence Act across the province for five years.

LHC Justice Ali Zia Bajwa was hearing a matter of habeas corpus petition. On a point, Punjab Women Protection Authority Chairperson Kaneez Fatima was summoned by LHC.

As the proceedings started, the judge asked the chairperson why the Protection of Women Violence Act was not implemented since it had been passed.

The women’s protection authority chairperson replied the government established a women protection centre in Multan while working was under process to establish the same in other districts. It irked Justice Bajwa who remarked it was tantamount to committing discrimination as well as an act of depriving women of other districts.

“It will be considered injustice when specific justice will be dispensed”, Justice Bajwa observed.

On a court’s query about delay in implementation of the said act, the chairperson implored the court that they did not have enough budget to expand the network of the women protection centres across the province.

Read Violence against women: a crime, societal failure or mental illness?

However, she told the court that the government was going to establish women protection centres in Lahore and Rawalpindi this year.

 

stablishing women’s protection centres will be illegal until the notification regarding implementation of the act is issued, Justice Bajwa remarked.

The court’s query was very simple that why the Protection of Women Violence Act could not be implemented in letter and spirit across Punjab.

The chairperson added that the act was very clear about it stating the act will be implemented in those areas where the women protection centres will start working.

“It is your interpretation and such sort of interpretation is not required in courts as the courts are run in light of the constitution”, Justice Bajwa remarked.

“It is astonishing enough that the women of the province had been deprived of their rights by not implementing Protection of Women Violence Act, who will be responsible for that, Justice Bajwa asked.

“There was no table and chair in the office when I resumed the charge, by making all out efforts I put the office on track and constituted some committees to get good results”, Chairperson Fatima told the court.

“You mean you have just completed your table and chair in the office”, Justice Bajwa observed.

No sir I have also sent the summary to the chief minister for amendments in the act, the chairperson added.

However, Justice Bajwa reserved decision on why Protection of Women Violence Act had not been implemented yet.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 21^st, 2021.