PESHAWAR, Sept 4: Women parliamentarians of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam have rejected the women’s rights bill 2006 saying it does not ensure protection of women’s rights. Shahida Akhtar Ali, MNA and central convener of the JUI, demanded at a press conference at the media centre on Monday that the bill should be withdrawn and, instead, the government should enforce, in letter and spirit, the existing laws regarding women. She was accompanied by party’s provincial president and MPA Naeema Kishwar and Rehana Ismail.

The bill, tabled in the National Assembly last month, is currently under the review of its select committee.

They proposed amendments to the Pakistan Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure and other such laws according to the needs of the time.

The women legislators were of the view that the proposed law would not protect women’s rights. They opposed changes to the Hudood Laws and said the proposed changes, instead of protecting woman victims, would offer leniency to the actual accused and would, therefore, encourage crimes against the weaker sex.

“Those who formulated the Hudood Laws were neither unaware of Islam nor the modern philosophy behind laws. The Hudood Ordinances explain Hadd, limits drawn by Allah Almight, and nobody has the right to change the laws of the Allah,” Ms Akhtar added.

If women charged under the Hudood Ordinances did not get justice or were made to further suffer, it was due to improper implementation of the ordinances. This should not be made a reason to repeal or amend Hudood law; instead lacunas in procedural laws should be removed to ensure true implementation Allah-made laws.

“A judicial and administrative environment which is conducive to implementation of Hudood laws should be established,” they said adding: “It should be clear that like Hadd, Ta’zir is also an Islamic punishment: Both are part of Islamic justice system and can not be separated from each other.”