September 27, 2005	Tuesday	Sha'aban 22, 1426

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FAISALABAD, Sept 26: Alleged rape victim Sonia Naz has appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take notice of the one-man tribunal’s recommendation for initiating proceedings against her under the offence of Qazf (enforcement of Hudood) Ordinance.

Talking to this correspondent by phone, Sonia said that at the very outset of the proceedings she had moved an application expressing her no-confidence in the tribunal formed by the Punjab government.

Calling the recommendation one-sided, Sonia said since she had not appeared before the tribunal nor she recorded any statement, how could it recommend such proceedings against her.

The tribunal constituted by the Punjab government had, in its recommendation submitted to the government, said that “necessary proceedings under the offence of Qazf (enforcement of Hudood) Ordinance of 1979 be initiated against Mst Sonia Naz, as she has made and published an imputation of zina intending to harm the reputation of members of police force”.

Section 6 of the Qazf (enforcement of Hudood) Ordinance, 1979, says that “Proof of Qazf liable to Hadd shall be in one of the following forms;

a) the accused made before a court of competent jurisdiction a confession of the commission of the offence;

b) the accused commits qazf in the presence of the court; and

c) at least two Muslim adult male witnesses, other than the victim of the qazf, about whom the court is satisfied, having regard to the requirements of ‘tazkiyah al-shuhood’, that they are truthful persons and abstain from major sins (kabair) give direct evidence of the commission of qazf:

Provided that, if the accused is non-Muslim, the witnesses may be non-Muslim:

Provided further that the statement of the complainant or the persons authorised by him shall be recorded before the statements of the witnesses are recorded.”

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