950803

3-day moot concludes

Women MPs express

solidarity with

oppressed women

in Kashmir,

Bosnia, elsewhere

RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: Muslim world parliamentarians on Thursday expressed complete solidarity wih the Muslim women of Kashmir, Bosnia, Palestine, Azerbaijan, Kosovo and other regions where "our sisters are being subjected to violence, genocide, occupation and aggression".

Through the Islamabad Declaration issued at the end of three-day moot of Muslim countries women MPs also urged the international community to call upon Israel to stop the Judaization of Al-Quds al-Sharif, and seek withdrawal of Israel from the occupied Arab territories.

The declaration that emerged following detailed deliberations spread over three days is reflective of the progressive thinking of the participating Muslim MPs who, in turn, appeared conscious of their place and rights as enshrined in the Quran and Sunnah.

The declaration also expressed the resolve to provide relief to Muslim countries "which have been subjected to unfair economic sanctions that particularly affect women and children and call for the lifting of the sanctions against Libya and Iraq".

The conference, the first of its kind ever held and participated by almost all the Muslim countries which have functioning legislatures, decided that the second meeting of the Muslim countries women MPs will be held within the next one year. Meanwhile, a follow-up committee of 10 members, three each from Asia, Africa and Middle East and one from Europe will meet within next six months.

It decided that a nucleus secretariat be set up in Islamabad to coordinate interaction amongst the members. The secretariat will also coordinate the positions of the Muslim countries at the Fourth World Conference on Women to be held in Beijing "to reflect the true image of Islam, preserve the cultural particularities and to promote the principles of equality and freedom of women."

The conference declaration resolved to counter terrorism in all its forms in Islamic countries and to promote harmony and tolerance amongst the believers of various faiths.

In his concluding speech the Speaker of National Assembly, Yusuf Raza Gilani said the Islamabad Declaration envisages an institutional framework to be modelled on the Inter Parliamentary Union. His speech, however, lacked the depth warranted by the momentousness of the occasion. Not that the speech was too poorly worded his delivery was bland and wooden, evoking nothing but apathy.

Laila Khalid told the Business Recorder that she was extremely satisfied with the wording of the Islamabad Declaration for its forceful stand on Al-Quds. She repeatedly read through the final document and shared her joy with the other two Palestinian delegates.

Begum Nasim Wali Khan, who was an official member of the Pakistan delegation, said the moot itself is a step forward for the Muslim women. What is however important is its implementation, she added.

She said she was permitted by her party chief MNA Ajmal Khattak to participate in this international conference because he was of the view that participation should be above politics. "If this conference is one step forward I believe the entire womenfolk have moved one step ahead."