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ISLAMABAD, Feb 18
(APP): Minister for Tourism Maulana Atta ur Rahman said February 18, which the
government has decided to celebrate as Democracy Day, was a great event for the
nation, marking end of a dictatorship and beginning of democracy.
Recording his
reaction over Day of Democracy, JUI (F) MNA elected from District Tank, who
recently assumed the charge as Federal Minister for Tourism, Maulana Atta
underlined the need for giving democracy full room to flourish in the country.
He also called for
implementation of 1973 Constitution in its true essence.
The minister termed
it a step of the government towards Islam and democracy for approving Shariah
based judicial system (Shariah Adl Regulations 1999) in Malakand Division.
“We felicitate the
people of Malakand and government of NWFP for this success,” the minister said.
Maulana Atta said a
cleavage created in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) after FATA
Regulation were repealed in 1993 as well as non-implementation of Shariah system
in 1994 and Shariah based judicial system in 1998.
The minister said
people pinned high hopes on Muttahida Majlis Amal (MMA) Government in 2002,
which passed a Hasba Bill and invited opinion of the rest of the country in this
respect.
But the then
president Pervez Musharraf challenged Hasba Bill in the Supreme Court that was
passed by NWFP provincial assembly, however, the apex court did not rejected the
draft, but found some of its clauses contrary to the Constitution.
The minister said
then MMA Government as well as its leadership accepted the objections raised by
the Supreme Court on Hasba Bill and got it passed again by the NWFP assembly.
But, again then federal government challenged the bill in the Supreme Court and
impeded its approval.
Non-implementation
of agreements, opposition to Hasba Bill by Pervez Musharraf and then federal
government led to the unrest in Malakand Division, Maulana Atta said.
The minister said
implementation of Shariah based judicial system in Malakand agency had paved the
way for Islamic system in rest of the country. “Islamic system is the basic
right of the people and it rules their hearts and minds.”
He stressed the need
for evolving national consensus through National and provincial assemblies on
the laws finalised by the Islamic Ideology Council as question arouse as to what
school of thought the Shariah based judicial system may be conformed with.
“Guidance could also be sought through Hasba Bill in NWFP.”
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Day of Democracy News 
