ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel, on Thursday, dropped the proposal of publicly hanging those found guilty of the abduction and abuse of minors.
The Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice was reviewing the recommended amendment but were unable to muster support from the provinces and the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII).
Former interior minister Senator Rehman Malik of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had proposed the amendment to Section 364-A of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), saying that the small amendment would send a strong message and help prevent occurrences like the Kasur incident that took place in January this year. He also said the amendment was a demand by the people of Pakistan.
The Ministry of Law and Justice opposed the proposal of public hanging stating rules were already in place for such steps. The prison chiefs of all the provinces and the CII have already disapproved the proposal.
The committee chaired by Senator Javed Abbasi, of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), was also the last moot to be held in the current Senate setup.
Senior Adviser in the Law Ministry, Malik Hakam Ali Khan, said the existing rules already carry the provision of death by hanging publicly in view of rule 354 of the prison rules. “Hence, an amendment in the PPC will not be required for the same,” he said. Malik further added that it was the domain of the prison departments to ensure the punishment is carried out and how.
In this regard, Senator Murtaza Wahab said that while the severity of the punishment is needed, it is the certainty of punishment that fulfills the need for justice. When asked for their final votes, it was clear that the bill had been opposed by a majority.
The Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice was reviewing the recommended amendment but were unable to muster support from the provinces and the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII).
Former interior minister Senator Rehman Malik of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had proposed the amendment to Section 364-A of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), saying that the small amendment would send a strong message and help prevent occurrences like the Kasur incident that took place in January this year. He also said the amendment was a demand by the people of Pakistan.
The Ministry of Law and Justice opposed the proposal of public hanging stating rules were already in place for such steps. The prison chiefs of all the provinces and the CII have already disapproved the proposal.
The committee chaired by Senator Javed Abbasi, of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), was also the last moot to be held in the current Senate setup.
Senior Adviser in the Law Ministry, Malik Hakam Ali Khan, said the existing rules already carry the provision of death by hanging publicly in view of rule 354 of the prison rules. “Hence, an amendment in the PPC will not be required for the same,” he said. Malik further added that it was the domain of the prison departments to ensure the punishment is carried out and how.
In this regard, Senator Murtaza Wahab said that while the severity of the punishment is needed, it is the certainty of punishment that fulfills the need for justice. When asked for their final votes, it was clear that the bill had been opposed by a majority.
