\u201cI want to halt brutality through public executions,\u201d says JI\u2019s Mushtaq | PPP\u2019s Rehman calls it \u2018counter-effective\u2019
\nISLAMABAD
\nSenate rejected a bill seeking to publicly execute those convicted of rape with a majority vote on Monday, with parliamentarians strongly opposing the idea as a \u201ccounter-effective measure in deterring sexual crimes\u201d.
\nThe upper house of parliament rejected the move to amend the Pakistan Penal Code,1860, and Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, through the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill 2023 with a 24:14 vote.
\nThe bill presented by Jamaat-e-Islami\u2019s (JI) Senator Mushtaq Ahmed was supported by Senators Mehr Taj Roghani, Kamran Murtaza, Maulana Faiz Muhammad, Hafiz Abdul Kareem, Kamal Ali Agha, Abdul Qadir, and others.
\nThe senators who had voted against the bill called for improved prosecutions, investigations for combating sexual crimes, and a better jail environment to ensure that such heinous crimes are averted in the future.
\nDefending his proposal after it had been defeated, JI\u2019s Mushtaq said the senators did not talk about the \u201cbasic issue\u201d and noted that the lawmakers spoke about \u201cbrutality\u201d becoming rife due to public executions, but it\u2019s already rife.
\n\u201cI want to halt brutality through public executions. Did the motorway rape case woman and Zainab have no respect? [How] does a rapist have respect?\u201d he wondered, claiming that publicly hanging such criminals would act as a \u201cdeterrence\u201d. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl\u2019s (JUI-F) Faiz Muhammad, backing Mushtaq, said that culprits who commit such heinous crimes should be hanged publicly.
\nVoicing concerns, Pakistan Peoples Party\u2019s (PPP) Senator Sherry Rehman strongly opposed the proposal, calling it a counter-effective measure in deterring sexual crimes, and urged improved prosecutions and investigations to address the matter.
\nSpeaking during the session of the Senate, she said: \u201cThe Peoples Party has always had a principled stance against the death penalty, whether public or private.\u201d
\n\u201cWhile the PPP staunchly condemns rape as a heinous and grave crime, calling for the death penalty or public executions, as seen in various countries, have not proven to be effective in deterring sexual crimes. We must prioritise enhancing prosecutions and investigations rather than resorting to barbarism and violence within society.\u201d
\nShe added that there have been historical attempts at public executions during Ziaul Haq\u2019s era which failed to reduce crime.
\n\u201cIf public hanging is advocated for one crime, it will be demanded for other offences as well. The PPP focuses on the importance of addressing the prevailing anger towards violence and sexual crimes through comprehensive measures, including improved funding for the police, enhanced criminal investigations, and better training for officers handling rape cases.\u201d
\nPakistan Muslim League-Nawaz\u2019s (PML-N) Senator Sadia Abbasi said she opposes the bill as it would make the society more violent. \u201cPeople were publicly flogged in this country […] we saw the reaction that took place within the nation and abroad.\u201d
\nPML-N\u2019s Senator Ishaq Dar also backed the voices against the bill, noting that the death penalty exists in the law. He also deemed the bill \u201cinappropriate\u201d and said that criminals should not be publicly executed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cI want to halt brutality through public executions,\u201d says JI\u2019s Mushtaq | PPP\u2019s Rehman calls it \u2018counter-effective\u2019 ISLAMABAD Senate rejected a bill seeking to publicly execute those convicted of rape with a majority vote on Monday, with parliamentarians strongly opposing the idea as a \u201ccounter-effective measure in deterring sexual crimes\u201d. The upper house of parliament […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-388136","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n