May 17, 2002	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 4, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, May 16: The National Commission on Status of Women, a statutory organisation established under a presidential ordinance, through a special committee, will review the controversial “Hudood Ordinance” to eliminate all kinds of discriminations against women on emergency grounds.

The commission has also recommended the removal of the need for women to be accompanied by Mehram to perform Haj, empowering the female judges to deal with cases related to family matters and compulsory filling of all columns of Nikah Nama.

Dr Faqir Hussain, Secretary, Pakistan Law Commission and former chairperson of NCSW on Thursday formally launched the first-ever report of the commission titled “NCSW Term of Reference and Scope of Work”.

Talking about the Hudood Ordinance, he said, considering the urgency with regard to the reviewing of Hudood Laws, the commission had set up a special committee to review the Hudood Laws.

“Since the committee realises that in the past Hudood Law has not been discussed in detail, therefore, recommendations whether to repeal or modify these laws would be made after an in-depth study in the near future,” he said.

Talking to the newsmen, Dr Faqir Hussain said that the establishment of the NCSW was an event of historic significance, rightly marked with jubilation by all strata of society.

He informed the media-men that the National Commission on Status of Women (NCSW) was established on July 17, 2000, through an ordinance promulgated by the President of Pakistan.

The commission formally inaugurated on Sept 1, 2000, comprising a Chairperson and 20 members, two each from the four provinces, one each from ICT, AJK, Northern Areas and FATA, he added.

Among these 20 members were also included one representative from the minorities, three scholars and three ex-officio members i.e secretaries of the ministries of finance, law and the interior, he continued.

“I am happy to say that difference in the background of members did not pose any obstacle to arriving at a conclusion on issues concerning the empowerment of women, according them equal rights and status,” Dr Faqir said, who was flanked by Justice Majida Rizvi, current NCSW Chairperson, Federal Education Minister, Dr Zubaida Jalal and Social Welfare Minister of Punjab, Shaheen Attiqurehman.

Commenting on the objectives of the NCSW as stated in the Ordinance, he said, these were: emancipation of the women; equalisation of the opportunities and socio-economic conditions among women and elimination of all forms of discrimination against women.

He added that the commission was also given the mandate to review women-related laws, policies and other measures taken by the successive governments for women’s development, monitor institutional mechanisms for the implementation of these, undertake research, and interact with civil society and the general public.

While wrapping up his remarks, Dr Faqir said the NCSW needed full-time professional and administrative staff so that this body was able to complete its assignments.

Justice Majida Rizvi, who took up the assignment as NCSW’s Chairperson on March 8, 2002, said, the commission have had regular meetings of its executive committee and various other committees which were working under the aegis of the commission to discuss the issues that came under the mandate of the NCSW.

During the sessions, Justice Majida said, apart from the various pending issues the commission had completed the review of Citizenship Act and given recommendations to reduce the discriminatory language of the act to nil.

She also informed the reporters that due to timely intervention of the commission, Zafran Bibi, who had been convicted under Hudood ordinance, was immediately given relief by the NWFP government.

In almost two years of the commission’s operations, the need to strengthen the commission, which was the first permanent statutory body of its kind, was strongly recognized. For this, the commission will be recommending amendments to the ordinance itself as well as developing comprehensive rules of business, she continued.