ISLAMABAD, Nov 15: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has welcomed the support of PPP Parliamentarians for the Protection of Women’s Rights Bill, and urged the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) to come up with a clear stand on the issue.

“Accept the bill or tender resignations,” parliamentary leader of MQM Dr Farooq Sattar told the MMA members while speaking at a news conference at the Parliament House cafeteria here on Wednesday.

MQM MNAs Dr Amir Liaquat Hussain, Syed Haider Abbas Rizvi and Iqbal Ahmed Ali Khan were present on the occasion.

The MQM leader expressed the hope that other opposition parties would follow the PPP “in strengthening real democracy in the country”.

He praised President General Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and the government for taking “this courageous step of bringing the bill”.

“Now women will be able to take part in all affairs of the country side by side with men,” he said, adding that the time had come to abolish all anti-women laws introduced in the country in 1985.