SHARIAH LAW IN THE CONSTITUTION OF PAKISTAN

Early day motion 180, tabled 13 January 1999 by Andy King (Labour). Signed by 42 members.

That this House notes with extreme concern the proposed 15th Constitutional Amendment Bill, currently awaiting a vote by the Pakistan Senate; notes the dangers of the bill which enforces the Holy Qu'ran and Sunnah as supreme in written constitutional law and thus allow the government to 'prescribe what is right and forbid what is wrong'; notes that this move comes at a time of increasing persecution of political and non-political minority groups, in particular the Christians; shares the concern of Benazir Bhutto that such a constitutional change will bring an oppressive state regime similar to that of Afghanistan; and urges Her Majesty's Government to raise the issue as a matter of urgency in the international community.

Signatures by party: Labour 22, Liberal Democrat 9, UUP 5, Conservative 4, Labour/Co-operative 2.