Islam prohibits violence against women: speakers

LAHORE

Speakers at a seminar organised by Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman Memorial Society and Women Development Punjab on Monday, including Population Welfare Minister Zakia Shahnawaz, Minister Hameeda Waheeduddin, and Punjab Commission on the Status of Women Chairperson Fauzia Viqar supported the Women Protection Bill recently passed in the Punjab Assembly and said that Islam has a strong tradition of protecting women from violence and sexual abuse. 

Addressing an audience at a local hotel, the ministers said Islam has elevated the status of a woman in the society and household and warned their male counterparts against resorting to violence and psychological abuse.

Under the new bill, these Islamic concepts are being strengthened and women are given their due rights as per Islamic text, they stated. 

Hameeda Waheed-ud-Din said that Punjab would be made a violence-free province and this programme had been started from Kasur district. She said that Protection of Women against Violence Bill would help to control violence of all kinds against women.

The minister paid tributes to civil society, women opposition members of Punjab Assembly and media on the passage of the bill. She said that besides legal action against anyone subjecting a woman to domestic, physical, emotional, psychological, verbal or economic violence, measures had also been envisaged under the bill for the protection of the affected woman.

Hameeda Waheed-ud-Din said that besides awareness campaign at district level, special centres were also being set up where services of police, medico-legal officials and psychologists would be available under one-roof for redressing the grievances of the affected women.

She said that Women Protection Officers would also be available in every district for taking steps for the recovery of any woman who has been detained in a house after having been subjected to violence. She said that the record of cases of violence would also be compiled so that future strategy could be evolved for curbing such incidents.