Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Senate’s Committee on Law and Justice on Monday rejected a bill moved by Senator Sehar Kamran, seeking to increase minimum number of women in the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII).

A unanimous resolution was passed by the Senate of Pakistan on November 21, 2016. It was followed by a bill presented on the floor of the house on August 21, 2017, calling for amending the Article 228 of the Constitution of Pakistan 1973, which was then sent to the committee for further action.

The bill stated that with regards to the conditions of composition of the Council, Article 228(3)(b) which states that “not less than two of the members are persons each of whom is, or has been a Judge of the Supreme Court of a High Court”. Article 228(3)(d) lays down that “at least one member is a woman”. It also called for a new clause to be inserted “for the purpose of quorum for meetings, at least one third of women members shall be present”.

Senator Sehar Kamran stated that the present Article 228 of the Constitution, calling for at least one women member representation, needed to be amended to at least one third, as there was a dire need for consultation with female members especially on matters related to women. “We have ample examples from our Islamic history where women were consulted on religious affairs. Even when prophet hood was first revealed upon Holy Prophet (PBUH), the first person he consulted was his wife, Hazrat Khadija (RA),” she said.

Senator Kamran said today was a sad day for the women of Pakistan as their voice had once again been repressed by the government. “The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government does not allow private members bill to pass and causes hindrances, even when issues of such international significance are presented. The increased participation in the council is also simply a part of women empowerment drives in the country. Seeing women in the council will encourage more women to take charge of their lives and workspaces without taboos or holding themselves back,” she said.

Senator Sehar Kamran stated that we could have given a positive signal to the world, had this bill been allowed to pass. “It called for increasing the number of women in the CII, thereby empowering them. However, unfortunately, it could not happen. It is disappointing to see that we as legislators could not develop a consensus on such vitally important issue of women representation in the CII. How long can we keep the women voices out of the decision-making process?” she asked.

The chair and some members of the Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice said that the CII was initially formulated for seven years. “It has served its purpose as many years have already passed,” they said.

The committee chairman also stated that the CII had been without a head since December, 2016.

Published in Daily Times, October 3^rd 2017.