July 10, 2006
ANAA STATEMENT ON PROPOSED PRESIDENTIAL ORDINANCE FOR
REPEAL OF HUDOOD ORDINANCE
In recent days various statements have been issued by the
Government of Pakistan regarding the future of the Hudood Ordinance as well as
the release of women prisoners imprisoned under the Ordinance.
- A July 7 2006, statement by the Government of Pakistan
states that bail provisions are being added to the Hudood Ordinance to allow
the release of over 1300 women currently in jails all over Pakistan. A
written copy of the amendment is unavailable to human rights activists.
Furthermore, reports indicate that only 72 women have actually been released
under the amended law.
- A July 10 2006 statement released by the Law Ministry of
Pakistan asserts that a Presidential Ordinance will be promulgated this month
that will repeal controversial aspects of the Hudood Ordinance. The Law
Ministry who “is still working on the Presidential Ordinance”, says that the
Ordinance will change witness requirements for registering cases under the
Hudood Laws, prevent cases being registered against married individuals and
require DNA testing of rape suspects. However, since copies of the proposed
Amendments are not being provided, it is unclear whether the discriminatory
treatment of rape victims will cease under the Ordinance. The situation is
further complicated by the fact that the Presidential Ordinance will be
presented to the National Assembly and the Council of Islamic Ideology
suggesting that its promulgation is far from certain.
While ANAA welcomes the move by President Musharraf and
hopes that the Hudood Ordinance will be repealed without further delay; the
ambiguous and confusing nature of statements from the Government of Pakistan is
a cause of concern to us. As we have repeatedly asserted in our advocacy
campaigns, a true commitment to Pakistani women requires not piecemeal
amendments that pretend at solutions but rather a clear and complete repeal of
the Hudood Ordinance. It is our sincerest hope that the Government’s initiative
represents not a superficial pretense at a solution but a step toward repealing
the Hudood Ordinance in its entirety.
Rafia Zakaria
Publications Director
ANAA
rzakaria@4anaa.org