ISLAMABAD: The proposal for execution of the murderer of the seven-year-old girl publicly drew mixed opinions from senators and the matter was then referred to the Senate’s Standing Committee on Law and Justice Affairs.
The issue came to the fore when Senate’s Standing Committee on Interior Chairman Rehman Malik informed the House about the development in Zainab case and subsequent arrest of the culprit and suggested that the committee had suggested a bill to amend the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) to punish criminals charged with abduction and rape of children.
Soon after his proposal, a debate began over the proposed amendment to the law. Some senators suggested exemplary punishment for the Zainab killer to prevent such heinous incidents in the future. However, some of the senators despite condemning the ghastly incident were of the view that execution of the culprit publicly would tantamount to ‘brutalisation of the society’.
PPP Senators Farhatullah Babar, Taj Haider, Minister Hasil Bezinjo, Barister Saif and other strongly opposed the execution of the culprit publicly, saying that such a practice, if adopted, would not stop these crimes. They suggested that there should be no changes to the law. They said that the government should provide protection to the children instead.
Baber suggested that the culprit should be punished immediately and ‘public hanging’ could be done through change in jail menu.
Federal Minister Hasil Bezenjo said the world was objecting to the death penalty and public hanging would again be opposed. “Changing law over a single incident was not a prudent decision.
Barister Saif said, “Intense punishments never reduce the crime ratio,” and added that the criminal justice system had failed to provide justice.
ANP Snator Shahi Syed, Ilyaz Bilourand JUI-F member Hafiz Hamidullah, Syed Mandokhel, Sehre Kamran, Khushbakht Shujaat, Kamil Ali Agha, Dr Jamaldini, Tahir Mashhadi, Saud Majeed, Sitara Ayaz and other also suggest public execution of rapists and murderers of the children. They said law should be changed according to the changing environment. After Zainab death, the whole nation was passing through a critical situation. They questioned as to why the existing laws were not implemented.
They said there should be an element of a fear while committing any crime. There was also a suggestion that hanging of Zainal killer might be live telecast on different TV channels.
Later, Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani referred the issue to the Standing Committee on Law and Justice and asked the committee to invite the officials of human rights and law and justice ministries to the meeting. He also asked the committee to invite the law minister to the meeting.
Published in Daily Times, January 25th 2018.