Pakistani Islamic parties irate over women protection law

If the 'un-Islamic' law is not withdrawn, they threaten to conduct nationwide protests.

Pakistani women walk past a mural painted along a street in Lahore, Punjab province. Islamic parties are objecting to a new law in the province, which has been made to protect women from abuse and violence. (Photo by AFP)

Lahore:  Islamic parties in Pakistan are threatening to launch a nationwide movement against an "un-Islamic" law that aims to protect women from domestic abuse and violence in Punjab province.

Passed by the province's government last month, the Punjab Protection of Women against Violence Act 2015 recommends steps to stop domestic violence, emotional, psychological, verbal and economic abuse against women.

Islamic parties have warned the government of nationwide protests if the act is not withdrawn by March 27.

Qaiser Sharif, deputy secretary of information for Jamaat-e-Islami, Pakistan's main Islamist party, said the leaders of 35 Islamic parties will announce what they intend to do based on the government's next move.

"[But] definitely mob attacks and street agitation will occur," Sharif told ucanews.com.

More broadly, Islamic parties, madrassas (Islamic schools) and clerics urged the Punjab government to pull back the law in a joint conference organized by Jamaat-e-Islami, country's main Islamist party, on March 15 in Lahore.

"The government has started acting against the country's constitution and Shariah (Islamic canonical law) under the pressure of western colonialism," said Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman the head of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Pakistan's fifth largest party.

"It is an international agenda to destroy the family system in Pakistan. The bill was drafted in a hurry and given a beautiful title to betray the public," Fazal-ur-Rehman said.

"It was passed to please non-government organizations and secular segments. Ulemas (scholars of Muslim religious law) are being threatened into silence," he added.

The act authorizes the government to institute a universal toll free dial-in-number for victims, establish protection centers and shelter homes.

It also allows the court system to order those convicted under the act to wear an ankle or wrist GPS tracker bracelet to monitor their movement.

The Council of Islamic Ideology, a constitutional body that advises the legislature whether or not a certain law is repugnant to Islam, has also termed the bill un-Islamic.

Meanwhile, women organizations, human rights activists and church groups have welcomed the act.

"The opposition by these people is regrettable," said Father Abid Habib of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Association of Major Religious Superiors.

"Perhaps they want to keep the women suppressed. We always support women in standing for their rights," said Father Habib.

Human rights lawyer Hina Jillani rejected criticism by the Islamic council and other conservative politicians.

"The clerics have been literally crying since the passage of the bill. We do not want to be entangled in discussions with them," said Jillani.

She said the law has some omissions and could be improved. "But still we need this law; we will make it perfect," she said.

Source: UCAN