Dawn: The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has once again decided to dampen the celebration of empowerment in the country — this time by claiming that the Punjab government’s Women Protection Act is against the lawand that some clauses are not in compliance with the Shariah.

The council has also decided that the Punjab Assembly could be convicted for treason for passing this bill without seeking consent with the council first.

How and why they came to this conclusion shouldn’t be a surprise given the council’s history when it comes to objecting anything progressive happening in this country.

Take a look: Sherani’s remarks

The Women’s Protection Act, passed by the Punjab Assembly, gives women legal protection against various forms of violence, along with the establishment of an abuse hotline, as well as women’s shelters.

In most parts of the developed world, these facilities have long been established, and abuse against women is a crime. In Pakistan, this abuse is rampant but mostly hidden under the veil of honour and fear.

Now, instead of receiving updates on how this new bill is being established and how efficient it is in terms of providing justice to the thousands of suffering women of Pakistan, we will first be focusing on how the mighty council feels about it with absurd statements on how it doesn’t fit in with the ideology of Pakistan.

Forget the Metro Bus projects and the mass underpass revolution of Punjab — today, this law is what the Punjab Assembly should be congratulated and celebrated for.

The next defining moment will not be when the government and the courts actually get down to work but instead, when they reject the forces standing in the way of implementing this bill.

Along with the CII’s tragic response to the bill, Chief of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) Maulana Fazlur Rehman has called for a law to “protect the rights of husbands” in the country.

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