The president of Pakistan pledged yesterday to ban the sale of brides along with other controversial customs that deny women basic human rights.Gen Pervez Musharraf announced that his government would shortly push through legislation that would also ensure women's rights to their inheritance. "A Bill is being considered to remove unjust social practices against women and it should be passed by the parliament," Gen Musharraf told a women's convention in the capital, Islamabad.
He said that the legislation would ban the sale of women in marriage and end the age-old practice of marrying women to the Koran. The practice is used in some rural areas by families who symbolically condemn their daughters to a spartan life dedicated to the religious book, without a partner or material possessions. Woman married in this way automatically lose their right to inherit property.
The planned legislation was also aimed at ending the practice of giving women in marriage to settle disputes, and also at reforming divorce laws. "I am proud that the government is considering this law for your betterment and I shall always stand by you," said Gen Musharraf.
His pledge came a week after he defied protests by religious fundamentalists and signed into law a Protection of Women Bill amending the country's Islamic rape legislation.
He confounded his liberal critics who did not believe that he had the resolve to act on his vision of "enlightened moderation". "The women's protection Bill is just the beginning and it was a victory for the entire nation and a victory for moderates," he said.