Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill, 2009 is likely to be re-tabled in the next joint session of the Parliament after developing consensus among the opposition parties, bringing them on the same page.
Yasmin Rehman, MNA (PPP) who moved the Bill in the Parliament on April 5, while talking to Business Recorder said that the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill, 2009 that was presented in the joint session of the Parliament in the first week of April 2012, was withdrawn after the right wing MPs resisted its passage.
"The Bill was earlier approved by the National Assembly in the year 2009 and was then forwarded to the Senate but due to objections on some of its clauses; this was referred to Mediation Committee of the House. The Bill was under discussion in the Mediation Committee when the government announced the 18th Amendment. That is why, the Bill was presented to the recent joint sitting of the Parliament", Yasmin said.
She said the Bill would now be re-tabled in the next joint sitting of the Parliament after making certain amendments.
Yasmin Rehman said, "When the Bill was withdrawn from Joint Parliamentary session, controversial points were discussed with other political parties during a meeting headed by Khurshid Ahmed Shah while MNAs like Dr Azra, Maulana Fazalur Rehman, Attiya Anayatullah, Zahid Hamid, Haider Abbas Rizvi and the members from the civil society also attended the meeting.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman, chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), who had strongly opposed and also threatened of dire consequences if the bill was approved when tabled on April 5.
However, a meeting was called to address the concerns of the JUI-F during which Maulana Fazlur Rehman presented his amendments and members of the civil society started raising their voices storming the meeting. The situation annoyed Maulana Fazlur Rehman and he walked out in protest", Yasmin added.
"We are trying our best that the said bill gets approved unanimously from the next joint session of the Parliament", Yasmin added.
Recently, Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman lodged strong protest over the bill and boycotted the proceedings of parliamentary committee on national security. However, the government later assured him that the bill will be withdrawn and re-tabled in National Assembly with input of all political parties.
Wasim Wagha from Aurat Foundation told this scribe, "The civil society of Pakistan has always tried to fight against the cruelties and atrocities committed against women. If the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill, 2009 gets approval from the Parliament in the next session then it would mean that in this male-dominating society women would be able to get some protection and if this bill fails in getting approval, then the civil society would think whether to start a peaceful demonstration or to take any other step to provide relief to the women who have been victim of violence since long.