ISLAMABAD, 13 February: Pakistans ruling party introduced a bill Tuesday aimed at outlawing the forced marriage of women and practices preventing them from inheriting property.
President Pervez Musharraf has vowed to empower women as part of his vision of “enlightened moderation” for the predominantly Muslim country of 160 million people where women, particularly in poor, rural areas, face widespread discrimination and violence.
The Prevention of Anti-Women Practices Bill introduced in parliament is expected to be referred to a committee that will finalize a draft to be debated and voted upon later in the year.
– The credit for this goes to President Musharraf who is endeavouring (bestræber sig på) to give due status to women in society, the head of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, told the lower house National Assembly.
The bill seeks to end practices such as vani, a centuries-old tradition of marrying women off (gifte væk) to settle disputes between families, and the practice of marrying women to the Koran, which deprives them of a share of family property, he said.
Musharraf promised to push ahead with reforms to empower women after parliament in November adopted a bill curbing the scope of Islamic laws that had made it virtually impossible for women to accuse men of rape.
That reform was passed despite fierce opposition from hardline Islamist groups.
Human rights groups welcomed the reform but said the Islamic laws, introduced by a military dictator in 1979, should have been scrapped all together.
Some rights activists and opposition politicians have accused Musharraf of courting and indirectly promoting conservative religious parties when it has suited him politically, although he has more recently called on people to reject those parties.
Kilde: The Push Journal
