Repeal of Hudood laws sought | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Repeal of Hudood laws sought

ISLAMABAD: Chairman All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA) Shahbaz Bhatti has urged the members of Parliament to abolish the Hudood ordinance, which is against the universal declaration of human rights. In his open letter written to the heads of political parties and members of National Assembly said that hudood ordinances were the Islamic laws which should not be applied to non-Muslims. As according to the constitution, article 227 section 3, and Shariat act section 2, states that Shariat laws would not be applicable to the minorities.

Mr Bhatti said that provisions of these laws were unjust, discriminatory, and oppressive against the non-Muslims and women of the country. These laws particularly the offence of Zina (enforcement of Hudood) ordinance 1979 are serious invasions of the personal laws of non-Muslims of Pakistan. He said that the non-Muslim women were the poorest victims of the application of Islamic Shariah and these ordinances. They are abducted, raped and forcefully converted. The perpetrators of the heinous crimes in order to wriggle out of the provision of offence of Zina in a mechanical manner manage the arrangement of conversion of minority women.
Source: Dawn
Date:11/10/2006