The bill to execute rapists publicly was defeated in the Senate on Monday, with a vote of 24 against and 14 in favour amidst strong opposition from lawmakers, who criticized the proposal as ineffective in preventing sexual crimes.
The proposed amendment to the Pakistan Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure by Senator Mushtaq Ahmed of Jamaat-e-Islami, although backed by several senators, was ultimately rejected. Opponents argued for enhanced prosecution and investigation methods, along with improvements to prison conditions, as a means to deter future offences.
Senator Mushtaq, defending his defeated proposal, lamented the Senate’s focus on the potential increase in brutality due to public executions, questioning the dignity afforded to victims versus perpetrators. He advocated for public hangings as a deterrent.
Support for Mushtaq’s stance came from Senator Faiz Muhammad of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, who agreed that public execution should be the fate of those committing such grave crimes. In contrast, Senator Sherry Rehman of the Pakistan Peoples Party opposed the bill, highlighting the ineffectiveness of public executions in deterring sexual crimes and emphasizing the need for improved legal processes.
She referenced historical failures of public executions as a deterrent and warned against the societal implications of such measures. Senator Rehman advocated for a comprehensive approach to addressing sexual violence, including better police funding, improved investigations, and enhanced training for officers.
Similarly, Senator Sadia Abbasi of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz opposed the bill, cautioning against the societal violence it could provoke. Senator Ishaq Dar, also of PML-N, supported this viewpoint, noting the existing provisions for the death penalty in law and criticizing the bill’s approach to public execution as inappropriate.
