For some reason people think the cure to most ills in our society is reintroducing the medieval practice of public hangings. Recently, the National Assembly passed a resolution with a majority seeking the public hangings of those sentenced for killing and raping children. The mover of the non-binding resolution, Parliamentary Affairs State Minister Ali Mohammad Khan, found a significant number of parliamentarians in support of public hangings. Calls for this practice lit the national media in 2018 when the court handed down the death sentence to the rapist and killer of minor Zainab Ansari. Taking cue from the public demand, our parliamentarians took up the matter on the floor of the house calling it the reflection of public sentiment. Not all members supported the idea, including the opposition and a few cabinet members. In fact, the parliamentary committee, which vetted the Zainab Alert Bill, being presided over by Pakistan People’s Party Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, did not recommend execution for child rapists and killers. The original bill provides life term for child killers and rapists. In the developed world, execution is frowned upon, and is deemed against human rights. No doubt, a child killer or rapist deserves the worst punishment. It is equally true that a reformative minority rejects the idea of public hangings and considers it futile and barbaric. This stance is supported by empirical and historical evidence as public hangings result in more violence, and for these reasons other alternatives can be taken into account. What then would the resolution achieve when it has no binding force? Since capital punishment and the idea of public hangings have remained norms of our society, such resolutions would revitalise these norms which will in turn lead to further radicalisation of society. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly – following the National Assembly’s resolution – is also mulling public hangings of child rapists. What can be done? It is time to think of better and effective deterrents. If the public hanging of notorious murders of a child, Pappu, back in the 1980s could not stop child abduction, rape and killing, it is unlikely to work now as well. *