President signs WP Bill as MMA protests

ISLAMABAD—President General Pervez Musharraf Friday ratified Protection of Women Bill 206, which is enforced with an immediate effect, said Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Sherafgan Niazi here on Friday.
“This new law will ensure protestation of women’s rights in a real since and this is enforced with an immediate effect all over the country,” the minister told a private TV channel. The minister said President Musharraf Friday signed the said bill under Article 75 of the Constitution, which has already been endorsed by the National Assembly and the Senate.
“This has become a law and credit for this goes to (ruling) Pakistan Muslim League and its president Ch. Shujaat Hussain,” he added. He said under the new law rape (zina-bil-Jabar) is liable to death penalty, while adultery (Zina-bil-Raza) is also inducted in the Hudood as a non-bailable crime. The Minister said in the law a new section for vulgarity has also been introduced.
He said case of adultery has been declared as non-cognizable crime and only court would be authorized to take an action, on the witness of two people. Online Adds: Rejecting the news regarding before-time elections, Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Sher Afghan Niazi has said that President Musharraf has not given any approval for any schedule in this regard. The federal minister while giving interview to a private TV channel has recalled that he had said that the current government would complete its tenure until November 15, 2007 and then a caretaker government would come to power and the process for the general election would start.
But the channel has broadcast the report that President Pervez Musharraf has approved a schedule for the next general elections. Commenting on the behavior of Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarian (PPP-P) after signing on Women Protection Bill (WPB), the Minister said that PPP-P’s attitude is very positive. Benazir Bhutto has asked Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman not to resign from assemblies and said that PPP-P would contest elections under the supervision of President Musharraf, added by minister.
Dr. Sher Afghan said that after the statements of Benazir Bhutto and PML-N, it seems that cracks have emerged in Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD). Benazir Bhutto wants timely general elections, he added.
Federal Minister for Parliamentarians Affairs, Dr. Sher Afghan Niazi has claimed that President General Pervez Musharraf has signed Women Protection Bill (WPB) and after becoming an act it has been implemented all over the country. Talking to a private TV channel on Friday, Dr. Sher Afghan Niazi said that President Musharraf has signed the WPB under article 75, adding that it is essential the sign of the President on bill after passing from National Assembly and Senate.
Terming the applying of WPB as act, a big achievement of President Musharraf, the Minister said that besides others Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Ch. Shujaat Hussain played an important role in this regard. Dr. Sher Afghan said that the session of the National Assembly can be kept adjourned for four months, however, the session would be summoned after Hajj and Eid-ul-Azha in January or February.—Agencies