Ministers, legislators and lawyers on 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 the National Assembly on 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 APP, 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 had been realised, she said.
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, Chaudhry 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 Bill was a triumph of democratic forces. He said the Bill would fully demonstrate Pakistan as enlightened and moderate nation for which both the 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 the government's resolve behind passage of the bill was to give rights to womenfolk as were enshrined in Islam.
The PML government and President Musharraf had given respect to the womenfolk in the country, he added. 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 would 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 was a first step towards the protection of women's rights in the country.
He appreciated president, prime minister and PML President Chaudhry 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 had joined hands to reject the suppressive laws made in the name of Islam.
Senator Memon said this was only heralding the beginning of the social justice and citizens 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 that history had 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 Parveen Baloch, 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.
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