Tag: death peanlty

  • Senate approves bill for public hanging of rapists despite opposition

    Senate approves bill for public hanging of rapists despite opposition

    A Senate committee has passed an amended bill for the public hanging of rapists despite strong opposition from Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), interior and foreign affairs ministries.

    The bill, proposed by Senator Mushtaq Ahmed of Jamaat-i-Islami, aims to amend sections 375, 375A, and 376 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Schedule II of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrCP).

    The Senate Standing Committee on Interior, chaired by Senator Mohsin Aziz, discussed the amendments to remove section D and introduce public hangings for rapists. The demand for public hangings gained momentum following the gang-rape incident on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway in September 2020

    Senator Sherry Rehman of PPP strongly opposed public hangings. She also took to X (former Twitter) to express her disapproval.

    “I strongly opposed public hangings being introduced in a bill in Senate Interior Committee by JI colleague Sen Mushtaq. There is no proven link between deterrence & public executions, let alone death penalty. Quite the contrary. Sorry to see others arguing for a further brutalisation of society. Ziaul Haq introduced public punishments, what did that do? Rape and human rights crimes went up and have been going up ever since. The PPP opposes such laws.”

    The committee also approved the “Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023”, which focuses on proper treatment and medical examination reports for rape victims through public and private hospitals. The bill was moved by Senator Mumtaz Zehri.

    They addressed the issue of private jails and passed the “Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023”, co-sponsored by Senators Mushtaq Ahmed and Samina Mumtaz Zehri to deter false imprisonment within residences.

    Other bills were discussed during the session, including one temporarily rejected due to its sub judice status, and another was rejected.

    The committee also passed the “Rain Water Harvesting Facility in Urban Areas, Bill 2023,” to efficiently utilize rainwater, supported by CDA representatives.

    Senator Irfan Siddiqui raised concerns about a missing bill for almost 15 months and decided to request a detailed report on the matter from relevant officials.The meeting was attended by various senators, including Saifullah Abro, Samina Mumtaz Zehri, and Sherry Rehman, as well as bill movers Senator Mushtaq Ahmed and Palwasha Khan, along with government representatives.

  • ‘Institutional reform, not the death penalty’ needed to end violence against women: Amnesty International South Asia

    ‘Institutional reform, not the death penalty’ needed to end violence against women: Amnesty International South Asia

    “The murder of Noor Mukadam was a horrific crime and those responsible must receive punishment consistent with the gravity of the crime, but without resorting to the death penalty,” said Amnesty International’s South Asia campaigner, Rimmel Mohydin.

    The statement further added that “institutional reform — and not the death penalty — is needed to tackle the endemic problem of violence against women in Pakistan.”

    Amnesty’s South Asia campaigner said, “Convictions have been dismally low for victims of gender-based violence in Pakistan, making today’s guilty verdict all the more significant. This conviction underscores the importance of ensuring that the criminal justice system responds effectively at all levels.”

    “However, far-reaching procedural and institutional reform — and not the death penalty — is needed to tackle the endemic problem of violence against women in Pakistan,” she said in the statement.

    “If the authorities want to take meaningful steps to ensure justice for women and girls, they must avoid using the death penalty as a ‘quick fix’ and commit to ensuring the criminal justice system prevents and responds to such crimes effectively at every stage.” 

    A sessions court in Islamabad yesterday sentenced Zahir Jaffer to death for the murder of Noor Mukadam. The co-accused staff members at Zahir’s house who aided in keeping Noor in Zahir’s house, Iftikhar and Jameel, were sentenced to 10 years in jail. All other accused were acquitted, including Zahir’s parents and Therapy Works staff.