ISLAMABAD, 17 September 2006 — What President Gen. Pervez Musharraf wanted was to empower women in Pakistan socially, economically and legally. With this in mind, he instructed the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Q) to bring about necessary amendments to the Hudood Ordinance which was enacted by Gen. Zia-ul-Haq in order to perpetuate his own rule. The Hudood Ordinance was declared “man-made” by the Council of Islamic Ideology — a statement that was meant to dissociate it from Islamic laws.
A countrywide debate began on television and newspapers printed articles and comments both for and against the Hudood law. Fresh ideas were sought from political parties and women’s organizations. The issue, however, proved very disturbing for the ruling coalition because it could not muster enough support from its own allies.
The ruling PML (Q) initially had an understanding with its coalition partner, the Muttaheda Qaumi Movement (MQM) and a liberal party from the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD). This agreement was not acceptable to the opposition religious alliance, the Muttaheda Majlis-e-Amal (MMA).
The president of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League suspected trouble ahead and tried to woo the religious parties and thus the MMA was approached. The government also invited leading religious scholars from across the country to study the proposed bill carefully and suggest amendments in accordance with the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
The PPP and the MQM reacted sharply to the move and opposed any extra-parliamentary arrangement between the ruling PML(Q) and the MMA which forced the ruling party to review its strategy.
The proposed amendment bill was examined earlier by the select committee of the National Assembly and members of the PPP and the MQM were also invited. They (PPP and MQM lawmakers) endorsed Musharraf’s policy to empower women politically, socially and economically. They also rejected the inhuman practices prevalent in the feudal-dominated rural society such as marrying “women to the Qur’an” and marriages of minor girls being used to settle feuds.
The PML (Q) and MMA agreement drew flak from other parties and one of the members of the ruling coalition, MQM, even refused to participate in the parliamentary party meeting of the National Assembly. Parliamentary party meetings are aimed at evolving consensus between the treasury benches and the opposition on important issues and fresh legislation.
After the MQM boycotted the important forum and the PPP and its ARD ally PML (Nawaz) rejected the PML(Q)-MMA agreement, MMA leaders — Qazi Hussain Ahmad, who is also the chief of Jamaat-e-Islami, and Fazlur Rahman, leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, came up with new observations and demands which left PML(Q) in a quandary.
Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Sher Afgan sought more time from the National Assembly speaker for presenting the proposed draft to the select committees of the National Assembly and the Senate.
PML(Q) leaders Shujaat Hussain and Mushahid Hussain held meetings with Fazlur Rahman and Qazi Hussain Ahmad to iron out the differences.
After the meeting, Qazi told journalists, “We will seek input from all other parties because the issue is very sensitive.” A Jamaat spokesman later told newsmen,” The real issue is not Hudood law but how to remove the military rulers.”
The government yesterday advised all its lawmakers not to leave Islamabad because the National Assembly would debate the controversial bill tomorrow. Until late yesterday evening, the ruling PML (Q) scrambled to win over old supporters of the bill — the PPP and the MQM and also to get the support of MMA. So far all the parties have agreed on one-point agenda — revision of the bill by the select committees of the National Assembly and the Senate.
