Amid calls for public hangings for child rape convicts, the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) on Thursday debated whether public hangings could be possible in certain cases.

CII Chairman Dr Qibla Ayaz asked to what extent public hangings can be effective in curtailing incidents such as the rape and murder of Kasur's Zainab.

"We need to think about how to put a stop to incidents like [rape and murder of] Zainab," Dr Ayaz said. He also said that the committee needs to decide about the standing of DNA in Shariat.

The matter was sent to the CII by Senate's Standing Committee on Law and Justice.

The 'Paigham-i-Pakistan' fatwa recently unveiled by President Mamnoon Hussain also came under discussion in the meeting. Dr Ayaz said that the narrative and fatwa should first be made part of public debate and then be brought to the parliament.

"Pakistan can take a leadership role in fighting extremism," he said.

Ghulam Mohammad Sialvi, a member of the committee, said that it was strange that the Ulema were stopped from giving fatwas regarding Takfeer (apostasy) despite the state having little knowledge of religion.

He said that the scope of Articles 295 and 298 of the Constitution should remain limited to controversial comments regarding prophets, the wives and family of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his companions. "Problems could be created if the respected personalities of every sect are included in the Articles," he said.

Khurshid Ahmad Nadeem, however, was of the view that only the parliament and the courts should be able to decide on matters of Takfeer regarding any sect. "Individual cases may be decided by Ulema," he said.

Jamaat-i-Islami's Dr Samia Raheel Qazi called for inclusion of women and minority narrative in the 'Paigham-i-Pakistan' declaration. "It is not only men's Pakistan," she said.

The council is expected to announce its stance regarding public hangings late afternoon.