KARACHI, Dec 12: Speakers at a seminar condemned misuse of Islamic laws — Hudood, Qisas & Diyat, etc. — resulting in violation of human rights and demanded that the laws be repealed.

Speaking at a Human Rights Day seminar on Misusing Hudood, Qisas and Diyat Ordinances to violate women’s human rights, organized by the Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) here on Thursday, former federal minister for law and attorney general Iqbal Haider said that the ordinances ought to be repealed as they were enacted and imposed in an undemocratic and un-Islamic way.

He was of the view that the ordinances were discriminatory against women and minorities.

Mr Haider, who is a council member of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, pointed out: “There are many laws (in Pakistan) not in consonance with Islamic injunctions, and framed using the name of Islam.” He regretted that parliamentarians were not allowed to discuss issues like honour killing.

Quoting officials figures, he highlighted the loopholes in Qisas and Diyat Ordinance and said that only about half of the cases registered under it were disposed of and less than 15 per cent of the accused were convicted. He said that 70 to 90 per cent of the accused were acquitted on account of non-availability of evidences or witnesses.

Rasheeda Patel, President of PAWLA, regretted the delay in disposing of cases due to non-availability of judges or other reasons. She said that cases of women’s rights violations remained pending for years. Marriage cases must go first to a family court and then, if needed, to a magistrate or session court.

Ms Patel said that Qisas and Diyat must not be allowed in cases of honour killing.

Zia Awan of the LHRLA observed that not only discriminatory laws, but certain other laws also violated women’s rights because of non-implementation.

He slammed political parties for not taking up the human rights issues seriously and forcefully. — PPI