Women Protection Bill to ensure protection, honour for women
By Hina Kiyani

ISLAMABAD, Nov 16 (APP): Ministers, Legislators and lawyers Thursday hailed the passage of Women Protection Bill, saying the bill would ensure more rights and empower the women in the society.
In their comments, all of them acknowledged that the Bill passed by national assembly Wednesday would provide equal opportunities to women and their role would become more meaningful and they would play an effective role in the development of the country.
Talking to this agency, Minister for Women Development, Sumaira Malik said the government had fulfilled its promise to ensure protection and honour for women. Another commitment of President Pervez Musharraf to empower women has been realized, she said. Sumaira Malik said more amendments in the laws discriminatory to women would soon be introduced in the parliament in a bid to restore their honour and dignity.
Minister for Population Welfare, Ch. Shehbaz Hussain termed the passage of Bill as historic and victory for the country.
He congratulated the President, the Prime Minister, Pakistan Muslim League (PML) and allied parties on the passage of bill.
Minister for Sports, Mian Shamim Haider said the passage of the Bill is a triumph of democratic forces. He said the Bill would fully demonstrate Pakistan as enlightened and moderate nation for which both President and Prime Minister deserve felicitations.
Minister for Political Affairs, Engr. Amir Muqam said the Federal government would be remembered for this historic legislation aimed at protecting women’s rights for a long time to come. He said government’s resolve behind passage of the bill is to give rights to women folk as were enshrined in Islam.
The PML government and President Musharraf have given respect to the womenfolk in the country. He also thanked the PPPP and other political parties for extending support to the bill.
MQM Parliamentary Leader, Dr. Farooq Sattar said freedom of women had been curbed on the behest of a particular group but now the situation has changed.
He said another bill will be brought into the parliament to eliminate other old-fashioned customs and traditions from the society.
The legislation would soon be made in the provincial assembly of Sindh about domestic violence against women, he added.
Chairman Parliamentary Commission for Human Rights, Riaz Fatyana said the passage of this Bill is a first step towards the protection of women’s rights in the country.
He appreciated President, Prime Minister and PML President Ch. Shujaat Hussain for taking all political parties and stakeholders into confidence and wisely resolving the issue with the opposition in a democratic manner. Chairperson, Senate Standing Committee on Education, Science and Technology, Razina Alam Khan said the Bill would provide speedy justice and safety to women and ensure they get their due rights.
The Senator said the Women Protection Bill was in complete conformity with the injunctions of Quran and Sunnah. The passage of the bill is the first step towards the protection of women rights, she added. However, she called for need of creating awareness among women about their rights. Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Defence, Senator Nisar A Memon described the passage of Women Protection Bill as “the day of victory for the rights of women in Pakistan.”
He said all the progressive forces have joined hands to reject the suppressive laws made in the name of Islam. Senator Memon said this is only heralding the beginning of the social justice and citizen of Pakistan whether they are men or women, rural or urban, Muslims or Non-Muslims, educated or uneducated, this struggle for social justice must go on.
PML (Q) MNA Kashmala Tariq said history has been created by passing the Bill on culmination of four years of National Assembly’s existence.
“Country’s each and every women is important for us. Their protection has been ensured,” she added. MNA of Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians, Sherry Rehman also hailed the adoption of WPB, saying it was a long standing demand of her party.
Lawyers including Sardar Latif Khosa, Fawwad Chaudhry, Imrana Perveen Balauch, Azam Nazir Tarar and Ijaz Ahmad Awan also acknowledged the step taken by the government and said it was a positive development for women and the government should ensure implementation of the law in letter and spirit.