25 April 2004	Sunday	04 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425

QUETTA, April 24: A bill for the legislation against honour killing would soon be moved in parliament after the approval of the Federal Cabinet.

The Adviser to the Prime Minister on Women Affairs, Ms Nilofar Bakhtiar, said this while speaking at a Press Conference at the Quetta Press Club here on Saturday.

She said the Ministry of Women Development had prepared a draft bill with consultations of women parliamentarian of six political parties and diffident non-governmental organizations and it had already been presented to the government for its approval.

She said Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali had sent the draft to the Ministry of Law for its recommendations and then the federal cabinet would give its final approval.

She said Sindh and NWFP governments fully extended their support to efforts being made by the Ministry of Women Division for the legislation against the honour killing.

Ms Bakhtiar said that Sindh and the NWFP government had held out assurance that soon they would move bills in provincial assemblies in this connection. She also sought support of the Balochistan government in this regard and said President Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali and Sindh Governor had also assured her their support on the issue.

She said the Ministry of Women Development had constituted a Jirga comprising women members in the NWFP for resolving the problems being faced by women. She said this Jirga would soon meet the women who had not been allowed to take part in elections. She said Balochistan province had also been asked to submit its report on the rights of women.