Maulana Fazlur Rehman, chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) on Saturday reiterated that the recently-passed Women Protection Bill by Punjab provincial assembly is in contravention of Shariah, Islamic teachings and Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan. After holding meetings with leaders of different religious political parties at his residence here, the JUI-F chief said a meeting of all political parties would be held in Islamabad to chalk out a future line of actions against the passage of a bill "which is contrary to constitution."
The bill is not only against the very spirit of constitution, he said, adding, "It is also against the teachings of Shariah, and in such circumstances, we cannot act as mere spectators". "The very purpose of the law is to destroy the family system in the country," he declared. He said that no one is against giving protection to women but bringing such a law which is a certificate to spoil the family system in the country, is in no way serving the womenfolk of the country.
"You can do whatever you like to protect the women folk of the country, but going to such a level in the name of formulating a law to women, which negates the very essence of our society, our religion, etc is not acceptable," he maintained. The cleric who has warned that any attempt not to amend the law could even pave the way to topple the government, said that all religious political parties want that the women should not be tortured, adding we are always there to protect our women but according to teachings of Shariah or Islamic law.
Severely criticising the Punjab provincial assembly in particular, the JUI-F chief described the bill as an NGO-driven legislation. "NGOs follow the West for their pecuniary interests and this is what happened in this particular case," he added.
Fazl maintained that this law seeks to intrude the privacy of every individual and it would torment Pakistan's strong family structure which is something lacking in the West, adding husband and wife are considered partners in the West, but it is not the case in Pakistan.
"The protection offered under this law is already available in the existing laws. Islam gives respect to women in a manner that no other law in the world ensures, so what do you want to prove by enacting such a controversial law? Do you want to please the NGOs or the West?" he questioned. Fazl recalled that it was the same PML-N which didn't sign a pro-women legislation during General Musharraf regime and now it has crossed all limits in becoming a champion of women's rights by introducing such a controversial law.