Senate rejects bill seeking public hanging of rape convicts.
The Senate of Pakistan has rejected a proposed bill that sought to introduce public execution as punishment for individuals convicted of rape.
The vote, which took place on Monday, resulted in a 24-14 majority against amending the Pakistan Penal Code of 1860 and the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1898 through the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill 2023.
Introduced by Senator Mushtaq Ahmed of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, the bill garnered support from several senators, including Mehr Taj Roghani, Kamran Murtaza, Maulana Faiz Muhammad, Hafiz Abdul Kareem, Kamal Ali Agha, and Abdul Qadir, among others.
However, opponents of the bill argued against the efficacy of public executions in deterring sexual crimes.
Instead, they advocated for improvements in prosecutions, investigations, and the overall prison environment to prevent such heinous acts in the future.
Also read: Shaukat Tarin quits PTI after resigning from Senate
In defense of the proposal, Senator Mushtaq Ahmed emphasized the need to address brutality through strict measures, citing recent high-profile cases as evidence.
He argued that public executions would serve as a deterrent to potential offenders.
Supporting Mushtaq’s stance, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s Senator Faiz Muhammad also advocated for public hanging as punishment for those found guilty of such heinous crimes.
ریپ کے مجرم کو پھانسی دو‼️
The Ex Senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan spoke on the issue of increasing Rape cases in depth on the floor of senate. Time and again he advocated for the Public hanging of Rapists. https://t.co/Mo0uJdbDW3
— Ayesha A.Qayyum 🇵🇸 (@AyeshaA_Q) March 29, 2024
On the opposing side, Senator Sherry Rehman of the Pakistan Peoples Party strongly condemned the bill, deeming it counterproductive in the fight against sexual crimes.
She stressed the importance of focusing on improving the legal and investigative mechanisms rather than resorting to extreme measures.
Rehman pointed out the historical failures of public executions to curb crime and emphasized the need for comprehensive strategies, including enhanced funding for law enforcement agencies, improved criminal investigations, and better training for personnel handling rape cases.
Similarly, Senator Sadia Abbasi of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz voiced concerns about the potential societal repercussions of implementing public executions, citing past instances of public floggings and the negative impact they had both domestically and internationally.
Echoing these sentiments, Senator Ishaq Dar of the PML-N opposed the bill, asserting that while the death penalty exists in the law, resorting to public executions would be inappropriate and contrary to the principles of justice.
As Senate rejects bill seeking public hanging of rape convicts, the rejection of the bill reflects a nuanced debate within the Senate regarding the most effective means of addressing sexual crimes in Pakistan, with senators advocating for a balanced approach that prioritizes legal reforms and institutional improvements over punitive measures.
