PESHAWAR, Oct 3: Three Former judges of superior courts have termed the Hudood ordinances faulty pieces of legislation and discriminatory towards women, and recommended their repeal.

Justice Majida Rizvi (retired), who is also Chairperson of the National Commission on the Status of Women, Justice Shaiq Usmani (retired) and a former judge of the Peshawar High Court, Qazi Mohammad Jamil, here on Wednesday explained various flaws in the five Hudood ordinances promulgated by the late general Zia-ul-Haq in 1979, and said a large number of females had been languishing in prisons under these laws.

Prominent religious scholar Dr Mohammad Farooq explained the Islamic concept of Hudd punishments, and said the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had introduced those punishments once he established an Islamic society where due rights were given to each and every individual, including women. General Zia, he added, introduced those laws without any consultation and public debate.

The female members of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal in the consultation, arranged by the Joint Action Committee of civil societies, agreed that there were some minor flaws in these ordinances but, they suggested, instead of repealing the laws amendments be made to these.

Justice Rizvi explained the entire circumstances in which a special committee, comprising jurists and Ulema, was constituted which recommended repealing of the law. “We are not against the Hudd punishments ordained by Almighty Allah and in our recommendations (it is) clearly stated that the present Hudood ordinances should be repealed and proper legislation shall be made in that regard,” she said.

She said two members of the special committee agreed that the law was faulty, but they said instead of repealing it amendments be made. The commission, she added, had agreed that these Hudood laws were not in accordance with Islam.