KARACHI: Nov 15: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan hailed the passage of the Women Protection Bill by the National Assembly. He said the approval reflected practical efforts by the government being made in connection with the protection of women’s rights. Dr Ibad hoped that endeavours being made regarding issues like honour killing (Karo-kari) would also produce positive results.
Source: Dawn
Date:11/9/2006
Civil society rejects Women’s Protection Bill
ISLAMABAD: Nov 15: Women rights activists and representatives of civil society organisations (CSOs) on Wednesday held a protest demonstration outside the Parliament House to denounce the governmentÂ’s new position on the WomenÂ’s Protection Bill and demanded total repeal of Hudood laws.Representatives of various organisations, including the Women’s Action Forum, Pattan Development Organisation, Aurat Foundation, Actionaid Pakistan, Sungi Development Foundation, Sustainable Development Policy Institute, Rozan, the Network for Consumer Protection, Strengthening Participatory Organisation and Potohar Organisation for Development Advocacy, were of the view that the Hudood Ordinances should be repealed in line with the recommendations of the statutory National Commission on the Status of Women. The demonstration was arranged by the CSOs on the day the parliament took up the controversial Women Protection Bill seeking amendment to Hudood laws.The protesters, however, rejected the bill, particularly amendments introduced at the behest of the religious parties.According to a press release, the protesters said the government had succumbed to the pressure of ‘Mullahs’ by accepting their amendments, which would further water down the already flawed text earlier put forward by the National Assembly Select Committee.
Holding placards inscribed with demands for the repeal of Hudood Ordinances and condemning the MMA for undermining human rights in the name of religion, the protesters said the Women Protection Bill would not bring any relief to women. In fact, they said, the “Mullah-recommended” amendments would further worsen the rights situation in the country, leaving women at the mercy of police and judiciary.The rally demanded that the government should not engage in politicking in the name of women rights and should not make compromises that might hurt women who were already socially, economically and politically vulnerable and weak. “We strongly demand of the government and all political forces who proclaim themselves as champions of women rights to prove their sincerity now by resisting the Mullahs from further consolidating their political space through an anti-women agenda,” they said.
Source: Dawn
Date:11/9/2006
CPLC to check violence against women, children
KARACHI: The Citizen-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) would cooperate by all means with the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) in order to provide timely legal aid for women and children victims of violence. In this regard chief CPLC Sharfuddin Memon met City Naib Nazim Nasrin Jalil at her office on Wednesday. Talking to the CPLC chief, Nasrin said that the city government wants such a coordinated contact between the city government’s union councils and the CPLC whereby common people may not face legal problems. “The city government is making all-out efforts to control street crimes in the metropolis”, she said adding that in order to check violence against women, while it is incumbent over the menfolk to widen their horizon and consider womenfolk on equality basis. Memon informed regarding the basic responsibilities of the CPLC that included timely registration of FIR and provision of legal aid to the affected persons in case they faced problems at police stations.
Source: The News
Date:11/9/2006
Ordinance for women prisoners’ relief lapses
LAHORE: A presidential ordinance aimed at providing relief to female prisoners who have been in jail for more than six months has surprisingly lapsed. President General Pervez Musharraf promulgated the ordinance on July 8, under which all women prisoners on trial in Hudood cases and other crimes — except for murder cases, National Accountability Bureau cases and terrorism — were declared eligible for bail. As a result, more than 1,300 women inmates on trial in Hudood Ordinance cases were released over the last four months, but the federal ordinance has now lapsed because it crossed its 120-day limit in November without being approved by parliament, Daily Times learnt from the National Assembly Secretariat on Wednesday.
The ordinance was supposed to be enacted by the NA before November 8. An NA said that the draft of the bill was still with the NA’s standing committee on law, and “no doubt … the ordinance has lapsed”. The official said the ordinance could be re-promulgated with effect from the date it lapsed. Justice Nasir Aslam Zahid of the Supreme Court told Daily Times that this showed “the governmentÂ’s lack of commitment”. He said it would be “difficult” for the government to re-promulgate the ordinance because the SC had ruled that no ordinance could be renewed if it was not passed by the assembly. ali waqar.
Source: Daily Times
Date:11/9/2006