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Herald Malaysia
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Herald Malaysia
Pakistan cutting death penalty crimes sparks call for total abolition
Removing two crimes from list linked to keeping special EU trade benefits, observers say Jul 28, 2025 Activists from the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) carry placards during a demonstration to mark International Day Against the Death Penalty in Islamabad in this Oct 10, 2015 file photo. (Photo: AFP) By Kamran Chaudhry A decision by Pakistan's Senate to back the abolition of the death penalty for two crimes has sparked calls by Christian activists to end capital punishment for other offenses, including call came after the Senate on July 18 approved the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, which stipulated replacing the death penalty with life sentences and fines for assault and public spoliation of a woman; and aiding the hijacking of an airplane or other public punishes 31 offenses with death sentences including crimes against the state and high treason; military offenses such as mutiny and misconduct in combat; violent crimes such as murder, robbery, rape, and gang rape; kidnapping for ransom; terrorism, sabotage, and say the move to revoke death penalty for two crimes is linked to Pakistan's retention of the Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) from the European Union (EU).The GSP+ is a special trade status granted by the European Union that offers tariff-free access to EU markets in exchange for implementing international human rights and labor rights conventions. Cecil Chaudhry, a South Asia team member from the UK-based human rights organization, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, welcomed the revocation of the death sentence for the two crimes as 'a step in the right direction.' A former executive director of the Pakistani Catholic bishop's National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP), Chaudhry also urged the government to 'consider abolishing the death penalty for blasphemy.' 'We have witnessed that blasphemy laws are often, if not always, used to settle personal scores and so many citizens, especially religious minorities, are disproportionately affected by false accusations,' he told UCA News. The EU has been pushing Pakistan to improve human rights and labor practices to retain its GSP+ status in EU markets. The EU's Special Representative for Human Rights, Olof Skoog, during a visit to Islamabad in January, highlighted concerns about various issues, including the blasphemy law, women's rights, forced marriages and conversions, enforced disappearances, freedom of expression, religious freedom, media independence, due process, and the death least 34 members of minority groups, including Christians, are on death row in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, according to Lahore-based lawyer and researcher Sarmad Ali. Peter Jacob, director of the Lahore-based advocacy group Center for Social Justice, said the Senate's move should begin the process for legal reforms and the complete abolition of the death penalty. 'This should open a broader debate on capital punishment and respect for life,' Jacob told UCA News.'A more comprehensive legal reform is needed to limit — and eventually abolish — the death penalty,' Jacob added. NCJP's deputy director Atta ur Rehman said Pakistan needs more reforms for its 'harsh criminal justice system.' 'The Church has always advocated for an affirmative approach to justice. Our position remains firm: the death penalty is against the sanctity of life,' Rehman Saman told UCA has seen a rise in death sentences recently, sparking concerns from rights groups. Pakistan courts handed down a total of 174 death sentences last year, a significant increase from 102 sentences in 2023, according to the Human Rights Commission of
Business Recorder
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Senate clears Criminal Laws (Amend) Bill: Push to end death penalty for specific crimes
ISLAMABAD: The Upper House of the Parliament, Friday, passed the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025, a legislative draft that seeks to abolish death penalty for anyone found guilty of the crimes like 'assault or criminal force to women, and stripping her of her clothes,' and 'harbouring hijacker.' The bill mainly replaces death penalty with life imprisonment in the cases involving aforementioned offences. Interior State Minister Talal Chaudhry presented the bill in the Senate session, following its passage by the relevant standing committee earlier, presided over by Deputy Chairman Senate Syedaal Khan. The senators including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Parliamentary Leader in Senate Ali Zafar and Samina Mumtaz Zehri from Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) opposed the bill— that was still passed by the House. 'In my opinion, this is a very serious offence—that warrants death penalty,' Zafar said, adding that the law endorsing death penalty in above-mentioned cases was passed by the Senate and the National Assembly after thorough consideration. Zehri, who is also the Chairperson of Senate's Functional Committee on Human Rights, supported death penalty in cases involving serious assault on women, saying, more stringent laws be introduced and implemented in this regard. 'From where did this thought come to our minds that severity of a punishment can stop a crime?' the law minister responded. 'This myth is wrong,' the minister argued. 'There is no death penalty in the entire Europe. The crime rate is only two percent. Jails are empty there. They are converting their jails to museums—on the other hand, we have death penalty for 80, 90 or 100 crimes—but crime rate here touches the sky,' he added. 'Unfortunately, the Senate and the National Assembly did not pass this law. It came from a martial law administrator,' he said, referring to Zia-ul-Haq. According to the Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025, in an effort to comply with the requirements of GSP+, and Pakistan's international commitments under ICCPR (International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights), three meetings with all stakeholders were held—to review reduction of the death penalty in order to bring it in line with international law and Islamic jurisprudence. The Statement adds that the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control proposed the draft Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025, proposing omission of death penalty from Pakistan Penal Code, 1860 with an alternative punishment of life imprisonment in the relevant sections. Meanwhile, the House also passed the Extradition (Amendment) Bill, 2025, Pakistan Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (Amendment) Bill, 2025. Also, the National Agri-trade and Food Safety Authority Ordinance 2025 was laid in the House. The Senate session was adjourned till Monday. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
