Musharraf calls for reviewing Hudood Law
ISLAMABAD – President Pervez Musharraf on May 15 called for a review of “controversial” Islamic laws that human rights groups say are discriminatory against women and minorities.
Speaking at a convention on human rights, Musharraf said the strict Islamic laws passed under the military dictatorship of late General Muhammad Ziaul Haq in 1979 should be studied afresh to ensure they were not misused.
“The nation should not shy away from re-examining the Hudood Ordinance by scholars, lawyers and legislators within the teachings of the Holy Qur’aan,” he said.
“Islam says we must reach a decision through discussion … why should a discussion be opposed on an ordinance which is the creation of human mind,” he added. – Reuters
President Pervez Musharraf also called for passing a law to ban honour killing and said the Hudood Ordinance and the Blasphemy Law be studied afresh to ensure that they are not misused.
Reaffirming commitment to promotion and protection of human rights at the convention, the president also announced the establishment of an independent national commission to facilitate the implementation of human rights standards in the country.
The National Commission for Human Rights will have an independent status and would report, review and advise on all forms of human rights violations and the redressal of grievances.
President Musharraf told the convention on Sensitization and Adoption of Human Rights Standards in Pakistan that although honour killing is illegal, the passage of a law banning it would lend more strength to Pakistan’s efforts to do away with the intolerable practice.
Referring to the rights of minorities, he said Pakistan can rightly be proud of the fact that its record of treatment of minorities is much better than many professed democracies of both the developed and the developing worlds.
“All minorities in Pakistan have the right to freely profess, practice and propagate their religion and also establish, maintain and manage their religious institutions.”
Musharraf said his government takes pride in empowering the minorities by allowing them the joint electorate as well as giving them reserve seats in parliament, provincial assemblies and local governments.
In this context, the president said the Blasphemy Law needs to be looked into so that justice is done and it is not misused to victimize the innocent.
He said Islam stands for human rights and the last address of the holy Prophet (SAW) on the occasion of Hajjat-ul-Widah can surely be termed as the first ever comprehensive declaration of human rights as it lays down at length the practical implications of man’s obligations to society and regards their fulfillment as a sacred duty.
He said the Father of the Nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah also believed in the sanctity of fundamental human rights and equality of all citizens of the state without discrimination of any kind.
The president said the Constitution safeguards basic human rights and fundamental freedom of all citizens based on the holy Qur’aan, the Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW) and teachings and the vision of the Quaid-e-Azam.
Under the Constitution, minorities are equal citizens and enjoy all fundamental rights.
The president recounted that a range of pro-active steps taken for socio-economic empowerment of people, have started yielding results in the form of growing awareness.
He enumerated the unprecedented freedom of the media, the establishment of a Commission on the Status of Women, effective measures for reduction of child labour, the replacement of archaic colonial Police Act of 1861 by Police Order 2002, empowerment of women and equal rights of the minorities as key indicators of Pakistan’s efforts.
Referring to initiatives taken for improving the lot of Pakistani women, Musharraf said they have been empowered politically while the process of their economic empowerment is also picking up in the form of low-interest loans from Khushali and Micro Credit bank facilities both in rural and urban areas.
He said more than 40,000 women sit in political authority in different tiers of the government and they enjoy 33 percent representation in local governments.
The president also pointed out to an audience including foreign diplomats, federal ministers, parliamentarians, representatives of human rights organizations and members of legal fraternity that the initiatives by his governments have brought Pakistani print and electronic media an unhindered freedom of expression.
The president said his being in uniform has facilitated in taking some vital decisions vis-a-vis the political and socio-economic empowerment of women, rights of minorities and the freedom of expression, which is universally regarded as the essence of democracy.
“Let me proudly say that it needed this uniform to open out the media.
Today, Pakistan’s press and electronic media enjoy unhindered freedom which they never enjoyed in the history of the country.”
Saying that the government is cognizant about the need to fill the gap between policy formulation and policy implementation, he said the government is making efforts to fill this gap.
However, the president underlined that anyone pronouncing a judgment on human rights conditions, should take stock of the ground realities prevailing in Pakistan and other developing countries.
“Like democracy human rights also, I believe do not have a set applicability or implementation formula for the whole world. Immediate applicability varies with education levels, stage of socio-economic development and prevailing cultural norms.”
About the measures taken by the government to protect the rights of the child, he said, a law on employment of children has been enacted, providing for punishment to those found guilty.
The national plan of action on child labour provides a very comprehensive programme for the rehabilitation of working children through education.
Pakistan’s success towards elimination of child labour has been acknowledged at international fora. He, however cautioned that we must not lose sight of harsh ground realities in Pakistan, where a child is forced to work to feed his mother, his ailing father, and younger brothers and sisters.
“Unless a viable substitute strategy for such poor children is implemented, it is difficult to take an idealistic attitude against child labour in the country.”
He asked human rights organizations and local community to join hands in removing child labour but not be forgetful of this harsh economic reality.
Minister for Law, justice and Parliamentary Affairs Raza Hayat Hiraj recalled a number of initiatives taken by the government for the promotion of human rights and said that Human Rights Wing is facilitating in the implementation of recently introduced policies.
Source: The News
Date:5/16/2004
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