Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ISLAMABAD13344
2006-07-12 09:39:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:
WOMEN'S RIGHTS: ONE STEP FORWARD, MORE IN THE
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ISLAMABAD 013344
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/12/2016
TAGS: PK PREL PGOV
SUBJECT: WOMEN'S RIGHTS: ONE STEP FORWARD, MORE IN THE
OFFING
REF: ISLAMABAD 12517
ISLAMABAD 00013344 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker, DSCG 05-01,
January 2005, Edition 1, Reason: 1.4 (B,D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ISLAMABAD 013344
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/12/2016
TAGS: PK PREL PGOV
SUBJECT: WOMEN'S RIGHTS: ONE STEP FORWARD, MORE IN THE
OFFING
REF: ISLAMABAD 12517
ISLAMABAD 00013344 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker, DSCG 05-01,
January 2005, Edition 1, Reason: 1.4 (B,D)
1. (C/NF) Summary. Minister of Women's Development Sumaira
Malik's campaign to improve the state of women's rights in
Pakistan won its second battle on June 8, when President
Musharraf signed an Ordinance into law that will release
nearly 1300 women from prison. The Ordinance orders women
currently awaiting trial in jail because they did not
originally qualify for bail to be released, as long as they
are not charged with murder, terrorism, or major financial
fraud. Women arrested in the future on any crime except these
three felonies will be immediately released on bail. Malik
called the law a huge first step, and outlined three further
legal changes she hopes to oversee: repealing or amending the
Hudood law (Ref A),closing a major loophole in the Honor
Killing law (ref B),and drafting a new domestic violence
ordinance.
ORDINANCE FREES 1300 WOMEN
--------------
2. (U) President Musharraf on June 8 signed into law an
Ordinance that frees approximately 1300 women currently
imprisoned awaiting trial for minor crimes because they did
not qualify for bail. The Ordinance also modifies the
Criminal Procedure Code by ordering the release on bail of
all women who are arrested, as long as they have not been
charged with murder, terrorism, or major financial fraud.
Human rights activists and lawyers estimate that the majority
of those released will be women charged with petty-theft,
minor narcotics infractions, or crimes under the Hudood
Ordinance. (Note: The Hudood law, enacted by General Zia
regime in the 1970s, applies harsh Shari'a-based procedures
and penalities for crimes such as rape and adultery; it is
particularly discriminatory against women. End note.) By
Monday June 10, 94 women in Punjab had been released.
Reporting from the other three provinces has been spotty; the
full release of all of the women who qualify for release may
take a week or two.
3. (U) The Ordinance, pushed through by Women's Development
Minister Sumaira Malik to win over detractors to her proposed
amendments to the Hudood law, has garnered support from all
sides. Human Rights Commission chairperson Asma Jehangir said
that the Ordinance would provide great relief to female
prisoners currently under trial (or awaiting trial). Malik
told Poloff that MMA female legislators--including Samia
Raheel Qazi, daughter of Islmic fundamentalist political
leader Qazi Hussain Ahmed--supported the Ordinance because it
upholds Islamic norms of women's honor.
4. (U) Some lawyers and activists, such as senior advocate
Dr. Aslam Khaki, expressed concern that women who were being
released from prison would be disowned by their families and
have no where to go. Women's Affairs Minister Sumaira Malik
allayed these fears when questioned by PolOff, by saying that
the Women's Affairs Ministry would provide shelter for those
in need.
ONLY THE BEGINNING, SAYS MALIK
--------------
5. (C/NF) Malik told Emboffs during a June 11 meeting that
she is upbeat about the prospects of changing the laws
governing womens rights. The Ordinance releasing women from
prison is only the first part of an ambitious, yet carefully
designed agenda Malik laid out for Emboffs. Over the past two
months, Malik has overseen a campaign to change public
opinion on the Hudood law (ref A); Malik now expects that
there will be major revisions to Hudood--or possibly a
complete repeal--by September or October. Next, Malik plans
ISLAMABAD 00013344 002.2 OF 002
to tighten last year's Honor Killings law, which while
far-reaching, left open a major loophole that allowed the
families of honor killings victims to "forgive" the
perpetrator, ensuring that they would escape prosecution.
Malik also hopes to initiate a public information campaign
and draft new legislation on domestic violence in coming
months.
COMMENT
--------------
6. (C/NF) Sumaira Malik has wasted no time during her short
two-month tenure as Women's Affairs Minister to drive through
critically needed legal reforms. Malik clearly understands
the problems her predecessors have faced in bringing about
changes to Hudood and Honor Killings laws. She has been savvy
in building public support, and painting her proposed
amendments as completely in line with Islamic law. Her
clearly-laid out public information strategy has included
extensive use of news media, as well as outreach to village
men and women.
CROCKER
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/12/2016
TAGS: PK PREL PGOV
SUBJECT: WOMEN'S RIGHTS: ONE STEP FORWARD, MORE IN THE
OFFING
REF: ISLAMABAD 12517
ISLAMABAD 00013344 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker, DSCG 05-01,
January 2005, Edition 1, Reason: 1.4 (B,D)
1. (C/NF) Summary. Minister of Women's Development Sumaira
Malik's campaign to improve the state of women's rights in
Pakistan won its second battle on June 8, when President
Musharraf signed an Ordinance into law that will release
nearly 1300 women from prison. The Ordinance orders women
currently awaiting trial in jail because they did not
originally qualify for bail to be released, as long as they
are not charged with murder, terrorism, or major financial
fraud. Women arrested in the future on any crime except these
three felonies will be immediately released on bail. Malik
called the law a huge first step, and outlined three further
legal changes she hopes to oversee: repealing or amending the
Hudood law (Ref A),closing a major loophole in the Honor
Killing law (ref B),and drafting a new domestic violence
ordinance.
ORDINANCE FREES 1300 WOMEN
--------------
2. (U) President Musharraf on June 8 signed into law an
Ordinance that frees approximately 1300 women currently
imprisoned awaiting trial for minor crimes because they did
not qualify for bail. The Ordinance also modifies the
Criminal Procedure Code by ordering the release on bail of
all women who are arrested, as long as they have not been
charged with murder, terrorism, or major financial fraud.
Human rights activists and lawyers estimate that the majority
of those released will be women charged with petty-theft,
minor narcotics infractions, or crimes under the Hudood
Ordinance. (Note: The Hudood law, enacted by General Zia
regime in the 1970s, applies harsh Shari'a-based procedures
and penalities for crimes such as rape and adultery; it is
particularly discriminatory against women. End note.) By
Monday June 10, 94 women in Punjab had been released.
Reporting from the other three provinces has been spotty; the
full release of all of the women who qualify for release may
take a week or two.
3. (U) The Ordinance, pushed through by Women's Development
Minister Sumaira Malik to win over detractors to her proposed
amendments to the Hudood law, has garnered support from all
sides. Human Rights Commission chairperson Asma Jehangir said
that the Ordinance would provide great relief to female
prisoners currently under trial (or awaiting trial). Malik
told Poloff that MMA female legislators--including Samia
Raheel Qazi, daughter of Islmic fundamentalist political
leader Qazi Hussain Ahmed--supported the Ordinance because it
upholds Islamic norms of women's honor.
4. (U) Some lawyers and activists, such as senior advocate
Dr. Aslam Khaki, expressed concern that women who were being
released from prison would be disowned by their families and
have no where to go. Women's Affairs Minister Sumaira Malik
allayed these fears when questioned by PolOff, by saying that
the Women's Affairs Ministry would provide shelter for those
in need.
ONLY THE BEGINNING, SAYS MALIK
--------------
5. (C/NF) Malik told Emboffs during a June 11 meeting that
she is upbeat about the prospects of changing the laws
governing womens rights. The Ordinance releasing women from
prison is only the first part of an ambitious, yet carefully
designed agenda Malik laid out for Emboffs. Over the past two
months, Malik has overseen a campaign to change public
opinion on the Hudood law (ref A); Malik now expects that
there will be major revisions to Hudood--or possibly a
complete repeal--by September or October. Next, Malik plans
ISLAMABAD 00013344 002.2 OF 002
to tighten last year's Honor Killings law, which while
far-reaching, left open a major loophole that allowed the
families of honor killings victims to "forgive" the
perpetrator, ensuring that they would escape prosecution.
Malik also hopes to initiate a public information campaign
and draft new legislation on domestic violence in coming
months.
COMMENT
--------------
6. (C/NF) Sumaira Malik has wasted no time during her short
two-month tenure as Women's Affairs Minister to drive through
critically needed legal reforms. Malik clearly understands
the problems her predecessors have faced in bringing about
changes to Hudood and Honor Killings laws. She has been savvy
in building public support, and painting her proposed
amendments as completely in line with Islamic law. Her
clearly-laid out public information strategy has included
extensive use of news media, as well as outreach to village
men and women.
CROCKER