Muslim personal law: Pakistan (fatwas)
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Beating wives to discipline them
The Times of India, May 27 2016
Omer Farooq Khan
Husbands can beat wives `lightly': Top Pak Islamic body
Pakistan's Council of Islamic Ideology , a constitutional body responsible for legal advice on matters related to Islam, proposed a women protection bill that allows husbands to beat their wives.
The council proposed that ahusband should be allowed to “lightly“ beat his wife if she defies his command, turns down his demand of intercourse without any religious excuse, refuses to dress up according to his desires, or does not bathe after intercourse or at the end of her menstrual cycles. It further said that beating of a woman is also permissible if she does not wear hijab, interacts with strangers, speaks loud enough to be heard by strangers and extends monetary help to people without husband's consent.
The bill states that female nurses should not be allowed to take care of male patients and recommends a ban on them from working in “vulgar“ advertisements. “Co-education past the primary level may be permitted if hijab is made mandatory and free mixing between the genders is not allowed,“ the so-called women protection bill said.
The bill came in reaction to women's protection bill passed by the Punjab assembly . Besides empowerment of women, the bill had sought their protection against violence. The council of Islamic ideology and religious parties had rejec ted it declaring it un-Islamic.The Islamic council had announced to prepare a “model“ bill in response.
Critics termed the proposed bill as unconstitutional.“Allowing a husband to beat his wife is against Pakistan's Constitution and the international laws and treaties that Pakistan is bound by . This council is a burden on the Pakistani taxpayer and brings a bad name to Muslims throughout the world,“ said Farzana Bari, a rights activist. “This will take Pakistan further into ignorance,“ she added.
Comprising 20 members, the council gives recommendations to parliament on Islamic laws. The proposed 163-point bill prohibits interaction of a woman with `na-mehram' (one with whom marriage is prohibited) at recreational spots and offices. It recommends ban on dance, music, and sculptures in the name of art, and states a woman cannot use contraception without the husband's permission.
