This sounds great; it is amazing for the ruler of a Muslim country to acknowledge that Islamic law discriminates against women and non-Muslims. If he were a non-Muslim analyst in the West saying the same thing, American Muslim advocacy group spokesmen would call him a bigot and hatemonger!
I am just not sure it will get very far as long as it must stay “within the teachings of the Holy Koran,” since that is the source of the laws to which he objects in the first place. From Reuters, with thanks to Nicolei:
ISLAMABAD : Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf called on Saturday for a review of controversial Islamic laws that human rights groups say are discriminatory against women and non-Muslim minorities.
Speaking at a convention on human rights, Musharraf said the strict Islamic laws passed under the military dictatorship of late General Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq in 1979 should be studied afresh to ensure they were not misused.
“The nation should not shy away from re-examining the Hudood Ordinance by scholars, lawyers and legislators within the teachings of the Holy Koran,” the official APP news agency quoted Musharraf as saying.
“Islam says we must reach a decision through discussion … why should a discussion be opposed on an ordinance which is the creation of human mind,” he added.
Musharraf said the country’s blasphemy law should also be reviewed. The blasphemy law prescribes the death penalty for insulting Prophet Mohammad, other prophets and holy books, but rights groups say it is often used to settle personal scores.
“The blasphemy law needs to be looked into so that justice is done and it is not misused to victimise the innocent,” he said.
Musharraf also called for a law banning honour killings, in which male relatives kill women deemed to have brought disgrace on their families by having a relationship with a man, or marrying without consent or bringing an inadequate dowry.
“Although honour killing is illegal, the passage of law banning it would lend more strength to Pakistan ‘s efforts to do away with the intolerable practice,” he said.