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Pakistan to ban forced marriages: Musharraf
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061206/wl_sthasia_afp/pakistanwomen_061206054144
ISLAMABAD (AFP) - Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf said the government would shortly push through new legislation aimed at empowering women and outlawing forced marriages.
The laws would also ensure women's right to their inheritance, ban the sale of women in the name of marriage and end the age-old practice of marrying women to Koran to deprive them of their share in property, he said on Tuesday.
Musharraf's pledge comes a week after he defied protests by religious fundamentalists and signed into law a "Protection of Women" bill amending the country's Islamic rape legislation.
"A bill is being considered to remove unjust social practices against women and it should be passed by the parliament," Musharraf told a women's convention in Islamabad.
Further legislation now planned by the government was aimed at ending the practice of giving women in marriage to settle disputes, and also at reforming divorce laws, Musharraf said.
"I am proud that the government is considering this law for your betterment and I shall always stand by you," he told the convention.
Musharraf said he wanted to empower women politically and economically so they could play their role in "national development".
"Our government has brought legislation banning honor killings, and an ordinance issued by me has provided for the release of about 1,300 women from jails," he said.
"The women's protection bill is just the beginning and it was a victory for the entire nation and a victory for moderates," he said.
That bill was voted for by parliament last month amid a walkout by Islamic hardliners.
It places rape laws under Pakistan's secular penal code and scraps harsh conditions that require victims to produce four male witnesses, and exposes them to prosecution for adultery if they are unable to prove the rime.
Musharraf soon after grabbing power in a military coup in October 1999 said he wanted to reform the controversial laws, but had backed down on the pledge after strong protests by the Islamic hardliners.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061206/wl_sthasia_afp/pakistanwomen_061206054144
ISLAMABAD (AFP) - Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf said the government would shortly push through new legislation aimed at empowering women and outlawing forced marriages.
The laws would also ensure women's right to their inheritance, ban the sale of women in the name of marriage and end the age-old practice of marrying women to Koran to deprive them of their share in property, he said on Tuesday.
Musharraf's pledge comes a week after he defied protests by religious fundamentalists and signed into law a "Protection of Women" bill amending the country's Islamic rape legislation.
"A bill is being considered to remove unjust social practices against women and it should be passed by the parliament," Musharraf told a women's convention in Islamabad.
Further legislation now planned by the government was aimed at ending the practice of giving women in marriage to settle disputes, and also at reforming divorce laws, Musharraf said.
"I am proud that the government is considering this law for your betterment and I shall always stand by you," he told the convention.
Musharraf said he wanted to empower women politically and economically so they could play their role in "national development".
"Our government has brought legislation banning honor killings, and an ordinance issued by me has provided for the release of about 1,300 women from jails," he said.
"The women's protection bill is just the beginning and it was a victory for the entire nation and a victory for moderates," he said.
That bill was voted for by parliament last month amid a walkout by Islamic hardliners.
It places rape laws under Pakistan's secular penal code and scraps harsh conditions that require victims to produce four male witnesses, and exposes them to prosecution for adultery if they are unable to prove the rime.
Musharraf soon after grabbing power in a military coup in October 1999 said he wanted to reform the controversial laws, but had backed down on the pledge after strong protests by the Islamic hardliners.
