In Pakistan, the Provincial Assembly of the North West Frontier Province, a province on the Afghan border, has enacted a controversial new law known as the Hasba Act. Italy's Asia News reported last week that the act creates the office of the muhtasib, a religious ombudsman whose function is to assure that people strictly follow Islamic rules, such as Friday prayers, separation of single men and women, and limitations on singing and dancing. The bill now goes to the governor of the Province for his signature. The Times of India quotes the governor, Khalilur Rehman, as saying that he will take every constitutional step to prevent "Talibanization" of the region.
Last Friday, Pakistan's attorney general, on behalf of the president, referred the provincial bill to Pakistan's Supreme Court for an advisory opinion on whether the bill violates Pakistan's constitution. According to a report on this by Dawn, a 5-member Supreme Court panel will hold a hearing on the bill on July 25.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Daily Times today reports that Akram Khan Durrani, Chief Minister of the Northwest Frontier Province, has been in the United States attempting to explain the human rights aspects of the Hasba Act to US officials and to a "think tank". Durrani said, "I hope the US government will not oppose the Hasba Bill". He added that his meeting with the US think-tank had been successful.
