Women’s bill a victory for women: Sumaira

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Women Development and Youth Affairs Sumaira Malik has termed passage of the Women Protection Bill victory for women.Talking to media in the Parliament House here on Wednesday, she said the government had fulfilled its promise to ensure protection and honour for women.The minister said that another commitment of President Gen Pervez Musharraf had been realised. “The laws which were used against women in the name of Islam have now been repealed,” she added.Sumaira said that more amendments would soon be introduced in parliament in a bid to repeal the the laws discriminatory to women. Meanwhile, Chairperson, Senate Standing Committee on Education, Science and Technology, Razina Alam Khan said the passage of the Women Protection Bill reflected commitment of the government to protect rights of women segment of the society. Commenting on the passage of the bill, she said it would provide speedy justice and safety to women and ensure they got their due rights.

In a statement issued here, she fully supported the statement of Pakistan Muslim League President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain in which he said he would resign as member national assembly if any clause in the Women Protection Bill was found against the teachings of the Qur’aan and the Sunnah. The senator said the bill was in complete conformity with the injunctions of Qur’aan and Sunnah. The passage of the bill was the first step towards the protection of women rights, she added. However, she called for need of creating awareness among women about their rights.Senator Nisar A Memon, Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Defence also described the passage of Women Protection Bill as “the day of victory for the rights of women in Pakistan”. Talking to APP by telephone he said that all the progressive forces had joined hands to reject the suppressive laws made in the name of Islam. “We are delighted that under the leadership of President General Pervez Musharraf wrongs of the past have been corrected,” he remarked. Senator Memon said that this was only heralding the beginning of the social justice and citizen of Pakistan whether they were men or women, rural or urban, Muslims or Non-Muslims, educated or uneducated, this struggle for social justice must go on.
Source: The News
Date:11/16/2006