Women Protection law is being discussed these days both in print and electronic media. Yesterday, half of the TV channels were talking about this law as if this was the only matter of national importance left for them. Listening to the experts on TV talking about the contents of this law, I was of the opinion that nobody has understood this law correctly. This law is for the benefit and for liberty of the men rather than for the benefit of women. In my imagination the time is not far when the women will start taking out processions for the repeal of this law being against their interests.
Before explaining my point of view, let us first find out what was the necessity in making this law. In my opinion, Pakistan is the country where laws are made so abundantly that it is not only self-sufficient in laws, but also it can export laws and earn foreign exchange by exporting them. This is evident from the fact that when a poor (being poor is important) person is involved even in a minor offence, police prosecutes him under at least half a dozen sections of the laws. The choice of number of sections of the laws is left to the accused on the basis of the “fees” paid to the police.
It reminds me of the times of General Ziaul Haq when he, already in a plethora of laws, he introduced a new category of laws. The accused were given the choice of selecting the category of his choice out of “normal laws” and the laws under “Hudood Ordinance” depending on the “fees” paid to the Police.
Pakistan Penal Code contains many laws to apply if there is a dispute between two persons, or one person physically harms the other. Husband and wife can be considered as two persons and any of the existing laws could be applied in case of any dispute or physical harm between them. But if a male-dominated assembly passed a specific law for the disputes between husband and wife, then there must be a specific reason for it.
To me, the specific purpose is to give liberty to the husbands from their wives. After marriage a husband is bound to spend his nights in his home and is not permitted to spend days or nights outside his home.
PROF. DR. MUNIR M. HASAN,
Lahore, March 1.