The Hudood and Qisas and Diyat Laws.

The Government had encouraged serious debate of the Hudood laws.

Demonstrations for and against the Hudood Laws have been held.

The Hudood Ordinances were promulgated in 1979 and incorporated in the Pakistan Penal Code.

Specific laws relating to sexual violence exist in the form of the Hudood Laws.

The issue is complicated by the Hudood Laws, provisions of which place the burden of proof on the female who alleges that she has been sexually molested or raped. (Hudood laws are discussed under article 15).

These ordinances are Offences against Property (Enforcement of Hudood) Ordinance, 1979 Offences of Zina (Enforcement of Hudood) Ordinance, 1979 Offences of Qazf (Enforcement of Had) Ordinance, 1979 and Execution of the punishment of Whipping Ordinance, 1979.

The issue of hudood laws is difficult to tackle without evolving a consensus in the society.

The issue of Hudood Laws has already been discussed in Chapter XV in paras 13 17.

As stated earlier, opinion on the Hudood and the Qisas and Diyat laws (see below) is divided and is strongly held.

In addition to the Hudood laws, another law, the Qisas (retribution) and Diyat (compensation) law is also the subject of debate.

In August 2003 the Commission also recommended the repeal of the Hudood Laws, which many people consider to be discriminatory towards women.

There is a difference of view among segments of the Pakistani population on whether some laws, such as the Hudood Laws, are in keeping with the Constitution.

Aware of the controversy surrounding the hudood laws, the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) conducted a thorough examination of these laws in 2002 2003.

Taseer s murder led to large public displays of support for the alleged assassin on the grounds that he had taken the life of a politician who had questioned the content of the Hudood ordinances.

A large section of the population, particularly human rights and women's rights activists and organizations, are of the view that the laws, particularly Offences of Zina (Enforcement of Hudood) Ordinance are discriminatory towards women.

It has also examined the hudood laws in detail and after a voted decision in which two members cast their vote in negative, recommended their repeal. (Details are given in Chapter 15, paras 13 16).

At present a lively debate is going on these issues, particularly on the Hudood Laws, in the wake of the recommendations of the National Commission on Status of Women that these laws should be repealed.