PAKISTAN

Dr. Farooq Hassan
International Law Expert – Pakistan

The Women’s Protection Bill (WPB) was enacted on November 15, 2006, shortly after it was introduced before the National Assembly of Pakistan for general debate. Most surprisingly, no debate took place. The leading members of the ruling alliance, including the former president Leghari, even General Musharraf’s ministers, never showed up. The much threatened filibustering by the religious alliance of political parties — known as the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) — never materialized, as they just walked out. The bill barely crossed the necessary threshold barrier by obtaining the minimum number of majority votes.

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