Daily Times

LAHORE: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has said the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) should be “disbanded” as it “is redundant in the presence of adequate constitutional provisions that rule out the enactment of laws contrary to Islam”.

In a statement issued on Friday, the commission said the draft that call for ‘light beating’ of women was “payback for the women protection bill adopted by the Punjab legislative assembly”.

“The ‘advice’ exposes the mindset of the zealots occupying the CII, who should be removed from their posts immediately. The irony of calling the measure women protection bill should not be lost on anyone.”

“Apparently in a bid to balance things, the ‘model’ draft pronounces that women should not be murdered in the name of honour. It also ‘allows’ them a say in whom they marry, to own property and to transfer the same to others. It also ‘permits’ them to participate in politics,” it added.

The HRCP said the provisions had already been pointed out as “they are covered by criminal law and constitutionally acknowledged human rights provisions for decades”. “The women in Pakistan should count their blessings that they did not have to look toward the CII for getting these rights.”

“HRCP would like to know why the CII’s obsession with women, its attempts to ensure subservience of the female gender and to keep women from attaining equal standing in society, have not been called into question so far.”

The commission called upon the government to take notice of the CII recommendations. “Those choosing to stay silent or to support the regressive recommendations would be judged for their stance,” it said.