Bill on women’s rights

Sir: November 15, 2011 ought to be celebrated as a great day for the women of Pakistan. After much foot dragging, the National Assembly unanimously passed a pro-women’s bill aimed at the protection of their fundamental human rights.

The bill targets two main areas of concern, i.e. their property rights and freedom of choice in marriage. These were sorely needed laws given the cultural practices in our male dominated country. Some members of the assembly were reluctant as evidenced by the blockage of the bill during past attempts to promulgate it.

However, the persistence of other members has paid off, and none dared vote against it. It is a positive development not just in the legal sense, but also in terms of the fact that the reluctant members have been made to implicitly admit the injustice of the practice of karo kari (honour killing) and marriage to the Quran, etc.
ALI JAAN
Lahore

Source: Daily Times

Date:11/18/2011