Pakistan Muslim League on Wednesday decided to launch an "awareness campaign throughout the country to expose the irresponsible and derogatory attitude of members of Muttahida Majlis Amal (MMA) exhibited by them when the bill to protect the rights of women was moved in the National Assembly.
Addressing a press conference Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Muhammad Ali Durrani said the awareness campaign will include public meetings, rallies and people to people contacts even at union council and district levels.
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Senator Tariq Azeem Khan, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources Nasir Khan Mengal and Dr Donia Aziz, MNA were also present on the occasion. Senator Durrani said the Bill to Protect Women Rights was in accordance with Islam and it has not a single anti-Islamic clause.
The Information Minister challenged MMA to find a single word or clause contrary to Islamic injunctions and values. The minister condemning the MMA members for tearing up the sacred document of Women Protection Bill asked them to offer forgiveness to Allah Almighty for their "misdeed."
He said, "In this Bill the word Holy Quran has been written 11 times, the word Sunnah eight times and the word Islamic Republic of Pakistan two times and the MMA's law makers tore off its copies" adding that it was against the democratic norms and parliamentary practices. He said the Bill document was also inscribed with a Hadith and the MMA members disgraced the religious sanctity of the Bill.
The Minister said it is not only a breach of the Constitution but also a disrespect to Islam.
Senator Durrani said the MMA members did so without adhering to text of the Bill adding their act had not only breached the traditions of the parliament but also saddened the entire nation. He asked them to tender an apology to Allah Almighty, the entire nation and their voters.
Replying to a question about filing any case against the members of the MMA for disgracing the bill, the he said. "We are submitting the case of disregarding the Women Protection Bill in the court of masses who would decide their fate."
Durrani said MMA was aiming at politicising the whole issue as they were against the rights of the women and added that they were getting political benefit from the bill.