ISLAMABAD Nov 18: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Saturday rejected the threat by opposition leader in the National Assembly Maulana Fazlur Rahman that implementation of the Protection of Women Rights law would not be allowed in the NWFP and Balochistan where the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal is in power.

Maulana Rahman had said in a statement on Friday that the law amending the Hudood Ordinance would not be allowed to be implemented in the two provinces.

Talking to reporters after an education ministry function at the prime minister’s secretariat, Mr Aziz said that the law passed by parliament became binding on all the provinces and territories which came under jurisdictions of Pakistan and the MMA leader’s statement could not deter the federal government from implementing the law in the entire country.

Answering a question, the premier said that the MMA was doing no justice to its electorate by deciding to tender its National Assembly members’ resignations.

When asked whether the government would hold by-elections on seats vacated by the MMA, he said that every thing, including by-elections, would be considered in accordance with the law.

He said that the people had sent their representatives to the assemblies to serve their interests and to take the country forward on the path of progress and resigning from the assembly by anyone was tantamount to negation of their mandate.

Answering another question, the prime minister reiterated the resolve of the government to enact more laws for the women’s emancipation and empowerment besides releasing them from the clutches of old customs which had nothing to do with Islamic teachings.

The laws, he said, would relate to the women’s right to inherit which was denied to them, forced marriages, wedding them with Holy Quran, Vani and other customs which deprived the women of their rights.

However, he said that the government believed that no law repugnant to Islamic teachings could be enacted nor it would resort to do such thing. Islam, he added, preached tolerance, love and forbearance and was opposed to extremism.

As representatives of the people, he said, all of them were bound to protect vulnerable sections of the society, including women, from exploitation and coercions in the name of custom and culture.