NA voting on women’s bill by Sept 6
ISLAMABAD, August 31 2006: The Pakistan Muslim League (PML) has decided to pass the Protection of Women Bill, 2006, in the National Assembly (NA) by September 6. PML sources told Daily Times that Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, the PML president, and Mushahid Hussain Sayed, the PML secretary general, made this decision after consulting the officials concerned.
The PML leaders observed the bill should be tabled in the NA after the return of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz from a four-nation visit on September 4. Senate Chairman also made contact with the PML leadership to inquire about their plans of sending the bill to the Senate. Sources said a Senate session might be summoned on Sept 4 or 5 with the agenda of passing the bill.
The PML leaders decided the bill would be referred to the Senate the same day it is passed from the NA, and then voted on in the Senate the next day. Meanwhile, the NA select committee set up to review the bill met under the chairmanship of Nasrullah Dareshak on Wednesday (Aug 30). Religious Affairs Minister Ejazul Haq did not attend the meeting, despite confirming his participation to the PML leadership.
Sources said the minister met Mr. Hussain, the PML president, and Mr. Sayed, the PML secretary general, and Mr. Dareshak to discuss the government’s strategy on the bill. Mr. Haq said he was not against the bill, but wanted to protest against the opposition’s attitude towards him. Mr. Haq claimed that Makhdoom Amin Fahim did not have any objection to him chairing the committee. Mr. Haq was removed as head of the committee after opposition members complained it was inappropriate for the son of Gen Ziaul Haq, the man who introduced the Hudood Ordinances, to chair the committee.
Source: Daily Times
Date:8/31/2006
” 
” 
” 
” 
