ISLAMABAD:Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Muhammad AliDurrani has said the Federal Government will ensure implementation on theWomen Protection Bill in all the provinces. Addressing a press conference here at the Parliament House Wednesday, he said if any province tried to create hurdle in the implementation of the bill, action would be taken according to the Constitution. Explaining the position of the Women Protection Bill, he said it is a federal legislation and it is biding on all the provinces to implement it.

Replying to a question, Durrani said no province is beyond the jurisdiction of constitution therefore, its implementation could not stop in any province. About the threat of resignations by the members of the Muttahida Majlis Amal (MMA), he said majority of the members of the MMA are not serious to resign from the parliament. He said some of the MMA leaders wanted to use the issue of resignations for their personal and political benefits in the next elections as they knew that they will be very weak candidates.

The Minister referred to the passage of Hasba Bill passed by the NWFP government and added that it has been referred to the Supreme Court for its opinion and the NWFP assembly has to review the bill. He said the federal government did not take any direct action against the NWFP assembly and preferred to adopt constitutional ways. The Minister said the MMA should adopt the similar constitutional way if they think that there is any thing contrary to Quran and Sunnah in the Women Protection Bill passed by the National Assembly.

Replying to another question, Durrani said those who opposed the Women Protection Bill knew that they will lose the support of 50 per cent women voters in the next elections, therefore, Pakistan Peoples Party and PML-N did not opposed the bill. He said continuity of the policies of the government and its welfare schemes would be the base for the next election campaign by the PML. About negotiations or talks with Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the
Information Minister said both PPP and PML-Q have their own vote-bank adding that PML always got anti-PPP vote, therefore, there could be no coalition between the two parties.
Source: The News
Date:11/23/2006