ISLAMABAD, Aug 25: A private petition on Friday requested the Supreme Court to stay a National Assembly debate on the newly introduced Criminal Law Amendment (Protection of Women) Bill 2006.

Filed under original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court on fundamental rights by Shahid Orakzai, the petition stated that amendments proposed in the Hudood laws were not in accordance with the true Islamic injunctions.

Along with his main petition, the petitioner has annexed a stay application seeking stay against any debate on protection of women’s bill, stating that the matter was very serious and ongoing demonstrations and mass campaigns in favour or against the bill could lead to law and order situation in the country.

“The controversy has gone out of the parliament and the recent demonstrations in Karachi against the religious forces is a bad indication not only for the sovereignty of the country but also for the Islamic glory which is very well protected under Article 9 of the Constitution,” he contended.

Instead of enforcing Sharia, the proposed amendment is becoming a cause of mockery of Islam in the country, he said.

After its introduction the bill was referred to the Select Committee of the National Assembly amid uproar by the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) that vehemently opposed the proposed changes in the Hudood laws.

The bill seeks amendment in the Offence of Zina (Enforcement of Hudood) Ordinance and the Offence of Qazf (Enforcement of Hadd) Ordinance 1979 as well as the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and the Dissolution of Marriages Act 1939 to provide relief and protection to women against misuse and abuse of law and to prevent their exploitation.

In his petition Shahid Orakzai cited Quranic reference and contended that there was no concept of eyewitnesses in Islam as Quran only called for general witnesses and evidence.

The federal government, Federal Law Minister Wasi Zafar, Speaker National Assembly Chaudhry Amir Hussain and Leader of the Opposition in the lower house Maulana Fazlur Rehman are respondents in the petition.