March 26, 2003	Wednesday	Muharram 22, 1424

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

ISLAMABAD, March 25: The civil society organizations working for women emancipation have expressed their scepticism about the ongoing discussions on the controversial Hudood Ordinance, fearing that the government will not be able to repeal or review the law in near future.

A special committee constituted by the National Commission on Status of Women for the last one year has not been able to develop a consensus whether to repeal or review the law.

The civil society organizations are of the view that President Gen Pervez Musharraf, who had promulgated about 180 ordinances during his three-year rule, could have repealed the law. However, due to his preoccupation with other issues, he could not take any steps in this regard.

Expressing their dismay over the increasing rate of violence against women in the country, various NGOs maintained that with the presence of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal in the parliament, which had rejected repealing of the law, it was almost impossible for the government to introduce any amendments in this regard.

Progressive Women Association chief coordinator Shehnaz Bokhari told Dawn that, although, Gen Musharraf had done a lot for the women with the reservation of 33 percent seats in the local governments, and then in the national and provincial assemblies, things remained unchanged at the policy-making level.

She added that despite the efforts made by civil society organizations and other stakeholders, the military government did not pay enough attention towards the sufferings of women.

According to recent studies done by a number NGOs, the rate of violence against women is on the rise, and discriminatory laws are cited as major factor behind this dismal state of affairs.

The president, Ms Bokhari said, with a single stroke of pen could have repealed Hudood Ordinance that had been responsible for the untold miseries suffered by a large number of women since the enactment of the law by Gen Zia.

Answering a question, she said: “I am not hopeful that the government will be able to review the law, let alone repeal it, as it lacked two third majority to pass or amend a certain law.”