Fawad, Aamir Liaquat spar over public hanging of rapists

ISLAMABAD: The rising numbers of rape and sexual assault cases in the country has reignited the debate on the public execution of the proprietors.

Minister for State of Technology Fawad Chaudhry was called out for his silence on the issue and was urged to bring legislation in parliament. Earlier this year, the federal minister had opposed a resolution in the National Assembly calling for public hangings.

Fawad said the anger and fury of the people was justified under the circumstances but it was not the solution. He said Pakistan is among the countries with the highest number of death sentences and the highest in terms of the number of people on death row.

He said there is no concept of the death penalty in Europe, yet the region has a low crime rate. The minister was of the opinion that there was no correlation between crime and the death penalty.

The minister said even if public hangings are handed out, it will not solve the problem until there are judicial reforms and the entire system including the police and prisons are overhauled.

He said no efforts and made to prevent such crimes. He said that if there will a growing inclination towards public hangings, then they can hand over and the results be seen as it is unlikely to make any difference.

PTI MNA and television personality Aamir Liaquat Hussain responded that with a message in Punjabi language advising the minister to remain silent over the issue.

فواد بھائی تسی اینج کرو کہ اس معاملے وچ خموش رہو تواڈی وڈی مہربانی ہوگی پرا!! تسی پائی ہو تے فر پائی رہو https://t.co/V7gl0xKzPd

— Aamir Liaquat Husain (@AamirLiaquat) September 10, 2020

Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda has said he would introduce a bill in the National Assembly for legislation to hang the perpetrators of rape publicly to eliminate such brutal incidents and set an example for criminals.

He urged all the parliamentarians to set aside their political differences to make legislation to impose strict penalties for rape convicts including hanging convict publicly in order to ensure the protection of women in the country.

Earlier this year in February, the National Assembly adopted a resolution calling for public hanging of the child abuse convicts with a majority vote.

The resolution was tabled Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan who claimed the prime minister wants hanging for child abuse convicts. However, the resolution was opposed by Fawad Chaudhry and Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari along with the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)