Pak to send women protection bill to parliamentary committee

Pakistan Government has decided to ask a parliamentary committee to reconsider the controversial women protection bill, which aims to change the islamic law that makes rape victims liable to prosecution for adultery if they fail to produce four male witnesses.

The women protection bill, with six amendments proposed by the Ulema Committee, will be sent back to the National Assembly's Select Committee for re-consideration, Pakistan's ruling Muslim League (PML) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has said.

"A debate has been going on the bill for last few weeks. It is unfortunate that a religious bill has been politicised and endeavours have been made to declare it un-Islamic," he was quoted as saying by The News.

He said the PML has decided to request the National Assembly speaker to refer the bill to the select committee again with additional initiatives for re-consideration so that these recommendations may be included in it.

The government had to put off debate on the bill in the National Assembly indefinitely as result of the widespread divisions among the political parties and opposition from the religious leaders.

Under the controversial Islamic law called the Hudood Ordinance law, rape victims are liable for prosecution for adultery unless they produce four male witnesses. The laws were introduced in 1979 by General Zia-ul-Haq.

Lawmakers have said the proposed amendments would eliminate the four-witness requirement and ensure that rape cases are tried in civil courts.

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