Committee formed to address ulema’s concerns on women protection act

Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has constituted a committee to know the stance of Ulema about Punjab Protection of Women against Violence Act 2016. Provincial Minister for Law Rana Sanaullah Khan will head the committee while Kh. Ahmed Hasaan will be its co-chairman and senior member Special Monitoring Unit Law and Order Salman Sufi, its secretary. Clerics of all schools of thought are also included in the committee.

This was told by Senior Member Special Monitoring Unit Law and Order Salman Sufi. He said that the Act for checking violence against women will be further consolidated. He further said that violence against women will not be allowed and protection of their rights is responsibility of the state. Salman Sufi said that this law has not been made in the darkness of night but after hard work of two years with the assistance of all elected public representatives of Punjab.

He said that legislation for protection of women has been made in the light of Islamic teachings considering it a form of worship and not for getting votes. All segments will have to support the rights of women instead of those committing violence, he added.

Salman Sufi said that Islam has laid great emphasis on women rights. He said that we have great respect for Ulema and Mushaikh and process of knowing their opinion regarding the act has been started.

He told that the committee constituted by the chief minister included Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad Khateeb Badshahi Mosque, Sahibzada Saeed Ahmed Gujrati, Dr. Raghib Naeemi, Allama Arif Wahidi, Hafiz Kazim Raza, Zahid Muhammad Qasmi, Maulana Muhammad Khan, Maulana Yousaf Anwar, Maulana Fazal ur Raheem Ulema Board Chairman, Hafiz Zubair, Maulana Abdul Haq Mujahid, Maulana Muhammad Amjad, Maulana Hanif Jalandhri, Pir Mehfooz Mashhadi and Mufti Abdul Qavi.