In Pakistan, lawmakers have voted to remove rape from the jurisdiction of Islamic law and put it under the civil penal code. Women’s rights groups have long campaigned for the change. Under the Islamic laws, rape victims are liable to prosecution for adultery unless they can produce four male witnesses. Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz hailed the measure as a historic change.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz: “This is part of a process through which women will get their rights. This will help to lessen to a great extent the unfair and illegal treatment meted out to women. But we are fully aware of the fact that we still have a lot more to do.”

While an alliance of Islamic parties opposed the change, at least one party said the measure doesn’t go far enough. The Pakistan People’s Party is calling on Parliament to repeal all Islamic laws it calls “anti-women and discriminatory.”