Pakistan’s government hailed a historic victory against religious conservatives last night after it won a vote to change the country’s troubling rape laws.

The parliamentary vote scrapped a law that placed an almost impossible burden of proof on women bringing a claim of rape and exposed them to charges of adultery.

The amendment, which was backed by Western governments, will lend much-needed credibility to the “enlightened moderation” policy formulated by President Musharraf.

“It is a historic bill because it will give rights to women and help end excesses against them,” Prime Minister Aziz. The legislation faced months of vociferous debate and protests during which critics doubted General Musharraf’s resolve to face down the hard-line Islamist opposition coalition.

Islamist party assembly members boycotted the parliamentary vote. The religious coalition leader, Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman, said the change to the law would encourage free sex. “Existing laws are correct and should be maintained,” he said. “The changes are not in line with Islamic teaching.”

The amendment to the country’s Islamic Hudood ordinance, which was introduced by a military ruler, President Zia-ul-Haq in 1979, transfers the crime of rape from the sphere of Islamic law to that of the civil penal code. The change ends the requirement for four Islamic males to have witnessed a rape and introduces the concept of statutory rape, outlawing sex with girls under 16. The Islamic code only prohibited sex with girls before puberty.

The bill must be approved by the upper house of Parliament before it becomes law.

Human rights groups welcomed the amendment but accused the Pakistani government of caving in to pressure from Islamists and said the Hudood ordinance should be repealed totally.

In an apparent concession to conservatives, a “lewdness” provision was introduced shortly before the vote. It sets down punishment of up to five years in prison for extra-marital sex and a $1889 fine.