❖ Women Protection Bill: Securing Rights or Destroying the Family System? ❖
❖ Violence Against Women: Reality or Propaganda?
The foundation of the Women Protection Bill rests upon the assumption that in Pakistan, women are the sole victims while men are always the oppressors. However, this reflects only one side of the picture.
In reality, injustice is not one-sided; at times, women too are responsible for harming men in various ways.
In many domestic conflicts within our society, either the man or the woman may be at fault, often due to ignorance and a lack of Islamic understanding.
❖ Dr. Fauzia Saeed’s Perspective
Dr. Fauzia Saeed, in her article titled “Is Only the Man Responsible?” (Daily Nawa-i-Waqt, March 21, 2016), writes that in 80% of cases, women also hold a share in the blame.
Women can also be instigators of male aggression, whether as mothers, sisters, or other relations.
Therefore, holding only men responsible and passing one-sided legislation is unjust and biased.
❖ Police Interference and Its Harmful Effects on Family Life
Allah ﷻ described the marital relationship as:
﴿هُنَّ لِباسٌ لَكُم وَأَنتُم لِباسٌ لَهُنَّ﴾
“They are a garment for you, and you are a garment for them…”
(Surah al-Baqarah: 187)
This indicates intimacy, privacy, and protection between spouses.
However, by granting police the authority to interfere in domestic matters, this law violates the sanctity of marital life.
If a woman, in the heat of a dispute, has her husband arrested, it may ultimately lead to divorce, as most men will not tolerate such public humiliation.
Thus, instead of protecting women, this bill may actually jeopardize their marital lives.
❖ Islamic Solutions Already Exist — But Are Ignored
Islam has already provided a comprehensive solution to marital disputes, as mentioned in:
﴿فَابعَثوا حَكَمًا مِن أَهلِهِ وَحَكَمًا مِن أَهلِها﴾
“Then appoint one arbitrator from his family and one from hers…”
(Surah al-Nisā’: 35)
This verse lays down the principle of reconciliation through mutual arbitration from both sides.
If reconciliation fails, divorce is allowed as a final resort.
In contrast, this bill fuels conflict between spouses and paves the way for family breakdown.
❖ The Real Issues Women Face — And Their Solutions
If the government is truly sincere in protecting women’s rights, it must take the following actions:
✔ Islamic Education and Moral Training
◄ Integrate Islamic teachings into the curriculum to educate men and women about spousal rights and responsibilities.
✔ Reform in Divorce Laws
◄ Criminalize triple talaq given at once to prevent rash decisions from destroying marriages.
✔ Community Arbitration Committees
◄ Establish neighborhood-level reconciliation bodies to resolve disputes before they escalate to court.
✔ Improvement in the Judicial System
◄ Ensure family cases are resolved within a fixed timeframe to provide women timely justice.
✔ Eradication of Dowry Culture
◄ Pass strict legislation to eliminate dowry, which is a source of immense suffering for many women.
✔ Protection of Women’s Inheritance Rights
◄ Take stern action against those who deprive women of their rightful share in inheritance.
✔ Curb Honor-Based Killings
◄ Impose strict punishments against perpetrators of so-called “honor killings.”
✔ Reforms in the Education System
◄ Provide separate educational institutions and professional domains for women to ensure safety and focused growth.
❖ Conclusion
This bill does not ensure the protection of women, rather it weakens the family system.
The real problem lies in the Western agenda, which, under the guise of women’s rights, seeks to dismantle societal values.
True protection for women can only be achieved through Islamic teachings, not through one-sided, imported legislations.
