President General Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday emphasised the need for a balanced approach to make Hudood laws in conformity with the real spirit and true teachings of Islam and protect the rights of the women.
He was addressing on the occasion of launching of report by the Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy on "Philanthropy by Pakistani diaspora in US" in Islamabad. "There is an agreement among the Islamic scholars of all shades that Hudood laws need to be made in conformity with Qur'an and Sunnah."
"It is a matter of satisfaction that debates have been held in media to create consensus and on the need to introduce changes in the existing Hudood laws in the light of the recommendations by the eminent Islamic scholars," he told the conference, attended by philanthropists, diplomats and intellectuals.
President Musharraf said he favours a debate on this vital issue, saying the National Assembly and the Senate are likely to take up the changes in the Hudood Ordinance in their forthcoming sessions.
He underlined the need for improving country's positive image in the global community, and called upon the expatriates to discourage those who cast Pakistan in a bad light.
The President also urged the expatriate Pakistanis to work on promoting inter-faith harmony for making the world a better place to live in. He said the Pakistani diaspora in the US and other countries by their eminent contribution in their adopted countries could help enhance country's image and bring in more investment to spur socio-economic development.
He said the government has planned to expand education and health facilities across the country and reduce poverty and unemployment aimed at bringing a visible change in the life of the people.
President Musharraf said the lack of education, health care, and poverty lead to extremism and terrorism and other ills in the society and urged the Pakistani diaspora to come forward in a big way to supplement government's efforts to combat these ills in the society.
The President said the government will take the health care and educational facilities to the common man under a comprehensive strategy and will upgrade health care at primary and secondary levels.
He said the government has decided to increase the budgetary allocations for education from 2.6 percent to 4 percent of the GDP which amount to hundred billion rupees for vital sector.
The President said the budget for the higher education has been increased from mere Rs 600 million to Rs 22 billion per annum in the past six years. Similarly, the vocational training and technical education centers would be set up at Tehsil level across the country to substantially increase job opportunities and reduce poverty.
The President urged Pakistani diaspora to contribute to the philanthropist activities in Pakistan and especially referred to sponsoring education for the children of the poor families and helping them start economic activities.