ISLAMABAD, Nov 15: President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday described the passage of the Women’s Protection Bill as a victory for the country’s moderate and progressive forces, and said a momentum built by the move would hopefully defeat the extremists and fundamentalists at all fronts.

In a televised address to the nation, Gen Musharraf said that the passage of the bill would set in motion a series of other legislations to end injustices being committed against women, both through the misuse of laws and in the name of traditions and customs. “This is indeed a victory of justice and truth,” he said. “And I hope the Senate would also pass the bill with a clear majority”. The President said once that was done, the elected members would be asked to bring in more laws to end the anti-women customs of vani, marriage with Quran and watta-satta.”

Perhaps the highlight of his speech was his praise for the People’s Party Parliamentarians and the Pukhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party for supporting the government-sponsored Bill. The president described those who voted in favour of the bill as “moderate” and “progressive”.

While concluding his speech, he appealed to the people to work for the success of such people against the forces of extremism and fundamentalism. “You will have to rally around such people” he said, “as this is the only way to keep the extremists at bay”.

During his speech the way Gen Musharraf went through the entire process of how the bill was passed, it left little doubt that it was his baby. He said even in the last couple of months when speculations were taking rounds that he may have caved in under pressure from the Mulla or religious conservatives, behind the scene activities had continued to build a consensus.

At this point the president was as much critical of those liberal or rights groups that had been demanding repeal of the Hudood Ordinances as he was of the MMA and other Islamic groups. “I think those who had been calling for the repeal of all the Hudood laws are also extremists”, he said.

“I call them liberal extremists,” the president said. And then he said it was not possible for him to do so as it would have unleashed all kinds of problems, including the lifting of prohibition from drinking. For the President it appeared to be a serious issue, as he said it could not have been done.

Nevertheless, the president said, “the passage of the bill in its present form has created a situation in which it will not be possible to mistreat or maltreat a victim of rape.” Secondly, he said that a kind of firewall had been created in form of four specific checks to make sure that justice was done in rape cases, and even when there was sufficient evidence against zina or fornication.

Gen Musharraf said that certain elements including the MMA were trying to create a wrong impression about the implications of the bill. He said that the bill was meant to rectify the errors in law to rid the women of becoming a victim of rape and then going behind the bars on lodging a complaint against rape, just because four witnesses were required to prove the charge. "We have … done a fire walling to protect the women from this oppression."

He said that it was wrong to say that the government had caved in to Mullas and said it was not under MMA pressure that a clause pertaining to fornication was being added to the Pakistan Penal Code.

Gen Musharraf said that the conscience of the government was clear and it was not scared of anyone. "In my view, the government has upheld the supremacy of justice and truth and this is the way to move forward."

The president said that time had come when the progressive elements should rise and show their strength to the extremist elements. He said the country was passing through a critical juncture and asked the people to vote for progressive forces in the upcoming elections and reject the extremist and fundamentalist forces.