Pakistani president signs women's rights bill into law

Dec 1, 2006, 14:02 GMT

Islamabad - Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf on Friday enacted a new law protecting women's rights amid fierce opposition by Islamist political forces and religious leaders, a government minister told the private Geo TV channel.

The president signed the legislation after it was approved last week by both houses of parliament, according to the federal minister for parliamentary affairs, Sher Afgan.

There was no official confirmation that the law had come into effect.

Police on Thursday prevented Islamists in several cities from staging protests against the law, temporarily detaining hundreds of organisers and participants. Some regional legislators have also threatened not to implement its terms.

The legislation amends provisions in the criminal laws considered oppressive to woman victims of rape and other sex crimes. But it was condemned by some parliamentarians as a conspiracy to turn Pakistan into a 'free-sex zone.'

Part of the liberal political establishment also withheld support for its introduction because of their dislike of Musharraf, who assumed power in a military coup in 1999.