ISLAMABAD, Sept 15: The ruling Pakistan Muslim League has decided to request the Speaker of the National Assembly Chaudhry Amir Hussain to refer the amended Hudood bill to the NA’s select committee.

This was stated by Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain at a news conference here on Friday evening.

The PML also suggested several recommendations to be incorporated into the bill for making it more effective and comprehensive.

Chaudhry Shujaat was accompanied by PML’s Secretary-General Mushahid Hussain, Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durrani and Minister of State for Information Senator Tariq Azeem.

When asked when would the bill be moved in the lower house, he said the date would be decided by the speaker.

Chaudhry Shujaat said while the bill was being debated for the past few weeks, the issue had been politicised.

The chief of the ruling party said that the decision to seek eminent ulema’s opinion on the bill was taken after consultations with Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

He reiterated that there was consensus among all political groups that nothing would be done contrary to the Holy Quran and Sunnah. He said that ulema’s suggestions had started coming in along with the insistence that their suggestions be incorporated into the bill.

In order to include their recommendations in the bill, the PML had decided to refer the redrafted bill to the select committee.

About the proposals made by the ruling PML, he said, these call for addressing all forms of violence against women — rape, gang rape, physical abuse, domestic violence — in the legislation and quick dispensation of justice within 90 days.

Domestic violence included physical abuse on women by their husbands, fathers, brothers or other relatives. Victims of such violence should be provided physical protection by the state through women’s crisis centres and special centres to provide shelter to the victims as well as a special women’s help line with a toll-free telephone number, which would function in cooperation with relevant NGOs.

It should be ensured that women get their due share in property and get the right of inheritance in an equitable manner.

Forcible marriage or marriage against the wishes of a woman will be an offence under the Pakistan Penal Code.

Injustices and cruel customs like Nikah with the Quran or sale and purchase of women for purposes of exploitation or otherwise will also be treated as an offence under the Pakistan Penal Code.

Separate women prisons will be established in provincial capitals staffed exclusively by woman wardens so that abuse of women in prisons by male jailers is ended.