A resolution calling for the public hanging of offenders convicted for sexually abusing and murdering children was passed in the National Assembly on Friday with a majority of votes.
The resolution was presented in the parliament by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan and passed by all lawmakers, apart from PPP's.
Raja Pervez Ashraf, PPP leader and former prime minister, said: "Ramping up the severity of punishments does not result in a reduction in crime."
"We cannot put public hanging into practice as it violates the laws of the United Nations," he added, reminding members of the parliament that Pakistan is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
He was not the only one to raise his voice against the passing of the resolution. Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry "strongly condemned" it.
"This is just another grave act in line with brutal civilisation practices. Societies act in a balanced way. Barbarism is not the answer to crimes [...] this is another expression of extremism," he wrote on Twitter.
Strongly condemn this resolution this is just another grave act in line with brutal civilisation practices, societies act in a balanced way barberiaism is not answer to crimes...... this is another expression of extremism pic.twitter.com/ye2abes8Dc
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) February 7, 2020
Meanwhile, Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari clarified that the resolution "was not government-sponsored but an individual act".
"Many of us oppose it — our MOHR (Ministry of Human Rights) strongly opposes this. Unfortunately I was in a meeting and wasn't able to go to NA," she said twitted.
The resolution passed in NA today on public hangings was across party lines and not a govt-sponsored resolution but an individual act. Many of us oppose it - our MOHR strongly opposes this. Unfortunately I was in a mtg and wasn't able to go to NA.
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) February 7, 2020
