The Upper House on Monday passed four bills including anti-honour killings and anti-rape laws.The Senate passed Anti-Rape Laws (Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2014, and Anti-Honour Killings Laws (Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2014, moved by Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Senator Syeda Sughra Imam. Senator Sughra Imam said that honour killings are common throughout the country, claiming the lives of hundreds of victims every year. She quoted the Aurat Foundation’s statistics, saying that 432 women were reportedly killed in the name of honour in Pakistan in 2012, 705 in 2011, 557 in 2010, 604 in 2009 and 475 women were killed in 2008. Imam said the above figures do not include unreported cases or, indeed, the number of men who are often killed alongside women in the name of honour. Additionally, Senator Farhatullah Babar said that mandatory DNA testing would not only overcome a serious loophole in terms of producing witnesses in rape case but the amendment will also provide an effective response to the proclamation of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) last year, rejecting the importance of DNA tests in rape cases. This sets clear precedent that the CII is merely an advisory body whose recommendations are not binding on the parliament. It will be argued that these laws cannot take shape without proper law enforcement, and will not change the actions of criminals, but we must realise that public debate, in and outside the parliament, is an important way to re-educate and sensitise people on the subject of women’s rights and human dignity. It is also important to appreciate the efforts by these legislators, for bringing such issues to the fore, that often go against the very sensitive sensibilities of the majority. The Parliament of Pakistan is supposed to be the supreme law-making body as well as the sovereign representing the people. Such laws are landmarks of hope for democracy and the legal equality of all citizens.
pk.shafaqna.com
