IN a welcome development this week, the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights took strong note of the anti-women stance of the Council of Islamic Ideology.

Holding the body responsible for the rise in violence against women, it called for the CII to be disbanded. It also urged the government to pass the Anti-Honour Killings Bill, 2015, and ensure ‘honour’ crimes were made un-compoundable offences.

The committee’s recommendations come in the aftermath of the CII’s proposed ‘model’ for a women’s protection bill according to which errant wives can be ‘lightly’ beaten by their husbands.

Although it is known to flood the airwaves with distorted interpretations of religious and cultural norms, the CII’s recommendations are not constitutionally binding. In a democratic polity, legislators must ensure laws impacting women are passed through parliamentary consensus.

Given the adequate constitutional provisions equipped to enact laws in accordance with religious tenets, the CII’s rulings are unnecessary, especially in the context of women.

As the Senate committee observed, the CII is no longer constitutionally bound to send reports to parliament for legislation — its final report was filed in 1997.

It also suggested the CII’s Rs100m annual allocation be redirected to the National Commission for the Status of Women. Considering the CII’s litany of ‘advisories’, most of them humiliating to women, this is a useful suggestion.

Just to recap its anti-women rulings: it ruled DNA tests were not acceptable as primary evidence in rape cases; then, it campaigned to lower the marriage age to 12 and nine for boys and girls; and its latest ‘bill’ prohibits the mixing of genders in schools, hospitals and offices.

Crucially, the upper house’s low tolerance for the CII serves as an example for provincial legislatures, especially that of KP.

It should know better than to invite CII recommendations on pending legislation to protect women. That said, it remains to be seen if the Senate committee’s bold questioning of the CII’s validity will embolden the national parliament to disband this body.

Published in Dawn, July 1st, 2016