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Politics : Liberalism: Do You Agree We've Had Enough of It? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: sandintoes who wrote (7747)	11/16/2006 12:06:53 PM
From: Ann Corrigan	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 224718

Global celebration in order for Islamic women...they finally won one:Pakistan softens Islamic law in favor of rape victims By Salman Masood, The New York Times, 11/16/06 After months of debate, the Pakistani government pushed legislation through Parliament on Wednesday that would amend the country's rape laws, which have been vilified as unfair to women. The vote, despite continuing opposition from hard-line Islamic parties, was a litmus test of President Pervez Musharraf's ability to bring actual reforms in his program of "enlightened moderation." Under the existing ordinance, known as the Hudood laws, which were enacted in 1979 by the government of General Mohammad Zia ul-Haq, a woman must produce four witnesses to prove rape. A failure to do so could result in her being charged with adultery. That stigma alone keeps many women from bringing charges against their attackers. The new legislation, subject to approval by the Senate and president, which are considered formalities, removes rape from the jurisdiction of Islamic law, which covers matters like marriage and divorce, and makes it a crime punishable under Pakistan's penal code. The new law does away with the requirement for four male witnesses and will allow convictions to be made on the basis of forensic and circumstantial evidence. But an amendment to the new law, introduced at the insistence of Islamic scholars and backed by religious opposition parties, would make extra-marital sex a criminal offense, with penalties of up to five years or a fine equivalent to $166. Despite misgiving about this clause, human rights campaigners here generally backed the law. The passage of the legislation came after months of drafting, redrafting and back-door negotiations between the government and opposition political parties, as vociferous protests by an alliance of hard-line Islamist parties stalled the legislation, which was first introduced in August. Another attempt in September broke down amid vehement opposition by Islamists. Threats of mass resignations by an alliance of religious parties forced the government not to rush the legislation. But on Wednesday, the government broke ahead and Parliament passed the bill in one sitting. "We went through a long and lengthy process of consultation on the bill before its passage in the assembly," Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said. Opposition members from hard-line Islamist parties boycotted the vote and walked out of Parliament as the legislation was put forward by Wasi Zafar, the law minister. Members from the religious coalition voiced anti-Musharraf slogans including "America's friend is a traitor," alluding to the perception here that the laws were being amended to placate the United States. The liberal opposition party of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto supported the bill. Sherry Rehman, central information secretary of Bhutto's party, said her party "did not compromise with the government" but decided to support the legislation because it offered an emancipation and empowerment of women.