Shujaat sees Opposition resignations improbable
Bureau Report

PESHAWAR—The opposition is in no mood to resigns from their national assembly seats and they had been interested in the same they would have submitted their resignations to the Speaker National Assembly which is a constitutional requirement while quitting the membership of the parliament.
“They have handed over it to the party leadership instead of delivering to the Speaker National Assembly” said President of Pakistan Muslim League Ch. Shujaat Hussain while addressing a women convention here on Tuesday. Ch. Shujaat said, “merely submitting resignations from the parliamentary seat to party top brass do not unseat a parliamentarian unless he submits it to the national assembly speaker for necessary action.”
He said he had submitted his conditional resignation to the Speaker which will take effect in case any clause of the Women Protection Bill passed by the National Assembly was found repugnant to the injunction to holy Quran and Sunnah.” “We all are Muslims and no body can dare to bring legislation against teachings of Islam and Sunnah”. Islam is not a sole prerogative of MMA and the religious alliance should not use name of Islam for political motives, the veteran Muslim leaguer said. He paid rich tribute to President Gen Musharraf, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, allied parties and lawmakers for supporting the long debated WPB that will end the long era of deprivation and oppression of the women walk. Chaudary Shujaat Hussain said the credit for completion of the tenure of the present assembly is unprecedented in the country’s parliamentary history for which President Gen Musharraf deserved all the credit.
The hasba bill passed by the NWFP Assembly has no concern with Islam and establishment of Islamic society, he said adding, the MMA was to cash on the situation for the political end as the general elections have already impending. He said the Hisba bill is aimed at providing lucrative jobs to the MMA’s workers.
Chaudary Shujaat while paying glowing tributes to the women of NWFP said they had rendered great sacrifices for Islam and the country. PML, he said, was getting strength in the frontier province day by day and held in high esteem the services of Amir Muqam who in his capacity as Provincial Chief of the Party rendering numerous sacrifices for the cause of the party.
Addressing the convention President of PML NWFP and Federal MinisterAmir Muqam said, PML held the services of the women in high respect and the big gathering at the convention reflects their confidence in the leadership of President Musharraf and the Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz. The assemblies will complete their tenure for the first time due to policies of the President.
Lashing at the MMA, he said, they want to impose their own version of Islam on the people, however, now the people are well matured politically and they could not be deceived through such slogans. The clerics have made the basic fundamentals of Islam controversial and observance of three eid at a time in the country was a testimony to this fact.
Addressing the conventions, Federal Minister for Tourism and President Women Wing Nilofar Bakhtiar said the WPB was a great gift of the government for the oppressed women of the county. Women have been empowered in every tier of the government, she said, adding, 17 per cent quota of the women in the National Assembly, 33 per cent in Local Government and induction of seven ministers in the federal cabinet are few steps taken by the government towards the welfare. She strongly criticized the elements opposing the WPB passage from the National Assembly and said these people want to keep the women backward in every walk of life. The government is determined to improve the socio-economic condition of the women and the passing of the WPB is a step toward this end. She also hinted at more similar nature legislation from the parliament for their emancipation. The other PML bearers including MPAs Semi Mehmod Jan, Nighat Aurakzai alos addressed the women convention.