PESHAWAR, Nov 18: Female members of the NWFP Assembly have welcomed the Women Protection Bill and called it the first step towards emancipation of women. Talking to APP on Saturday, MPA Nighat Yasmeen Orakzai said that the Women Protection Bill did not contain un-Islamic clauses, adding that it ensured protection of women’s rights.

She said the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal was raising hue and cry over the bill merely to catch media attention and deceive masses and added that the clerics were not interested in the welfare of women.

PPP women’s wing president Nasreen Khattak, MPA, said she hoped that the bill would help improve the country’s image at the international level besides benefiting the womenfolk.

She said the bill would provide an opportunity to women to participate in the lawmaking process and development of the country.

The bill would ensure protection of basic rights of women, she added.

Meanwhile, Nowshera district councillor Zahida Parveen has also expressed similar views. Welcoming the law, she said the bill guaranteed protection of women’s rights.

She said the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal always wanted to deprive women of their basic rights.

Ms Parveen said the MMA had rejected the Women Protection Bill in the National Assembly whereas in the NWFP Assembly they passed the Hasba bill to deny women their due rights.—APP