ISLAMABAD: The Senate rejected a bill aiming to publicly execute people guilty of rape with a majority vote on Monday, with legislators strongly rejecting the concept as a “counter-effective measure in deterring sexual crimes.”.
With a 24:14 vote, the upper chamber of parliament rejected the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill 2023, which proposed amending the Pakistan Penal Code of 1860 and the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1898.
Senator Mushtaq Ahmed of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) proposed the measure, which was backed by Senators Mehr Taj Roghani, Kamran Murtaza, Maulana Faiz Muhammad, Hafiz Abdul Kareem, Kamal Ali Agha, Abdul Qadir, and others.
Senators who voted against the bill asked for improved prosecutions, investigations into sexual offenses, and a better jail atmosphere to guarantee that such horrible crimes are avoided.
Defending his plan after it was defeated, JI’s Mushtaq stated that the senators did not discuss the “basic issue” and that the politicians warned about “brutality” being rife as a result of public executions, but it is already prevalent.
“I want to put an end to brutality by carrying out public executions. Did the woman involved in the motorway rape case and Zainab show no respect? [How does a rapist show respect?” He asked, claiming that publicly hanging such offenders would serve as a “deterrence.”.
Faiz Muhammad of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), who supports Mushtaq, has stated that perpetrators of such terrible crimes should be publicly hung.
Senator Sherry Rehman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) expressed reservations about the idea, calling it ineffective in discouraging sexual offenses and urging improved prosecutions and investigations to solve the matter.
Speaking during the session of the Senate, she said: “The Peoples Party has always had a principled stance against the death penalty, whether public or private.”
“While the PPP staunchly condemns rape as a heinous and grave crime, calling for the death penalty or public executions, as seen in various countries, has 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.”
