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Hudood changes put off

Nirupama Subramanian

ISLAMABAD : Under fire from all sides, the Musharraf regime appears to have indefinitely shelved the Protection of Women Bill 2006 through which it wanted to make changes to the 1979 Hudood ordinances.

The Bill, which the Government hurriedly amended over the last two days to incorporate amendments suggested by religious scholars, was on the agenda for the day in the National Assembly on Wednesday, but it did not come up for discussion.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Muhammed Ali Durrani told reporters later the Government was more concerned with developing a national consensus over the Bill than speedy enactment.

He did not say when the House would take up the Bill again.

Opposition

The Government decision to shelve the Bill for now seems to have been prompted by opposition to the proposed law from all sides. The religious parties coaltion, Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, opposed the original Bill, threatening to quit the National Assembly if it was enacted. The MMA also boycotted a special parliamentary committee set up to examine it.

After the select committee approved the Bill, the Government succumbed to a demand by the MMA and agreed to submit the proposed law for further examination by a group of religious scholars. On their recommendation, the Government incorporated changes to water down the original Bill.

This drew protest from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, a partner in the ruling coalitio. Civil society organisations condemned the Government for playing politics with an important issue that would have far-reaching impact on the lives of women in Pakistan.

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