Muslims like to claim that Islam advocates equality of rights for Women in an Islamic society. While I’ve always known for this claim to be utterly and unashamedly false – every now and then a Muslim group or organization in Pakistan or elsewhere in the Muslim world does something that just plain gives their game away.

Case in point – the ‘Equality of Opportunities for Women Employment Bill 2005’ – that was recently presented in the Pakistani National Assembly. Since Islam is all for equality of civil rights for women – and since Pakistan is a Muslim nation – one would think that such a bill would be passionately supported by the conservative Muslim political parties, right? Wrong!

The bill was presented by PPP – a progressive and somewhat secular faction in the National Assembly and while the bill eventually passed – it is telling that MMA voted against the bill.

MMA is the united alliance of pro-Islam political parties in Pakistan. Enough said.