DIYAT in Islamic law is the financial compensation paid to the victim or legal heirs of the victim in the case of murder or bodily harm or property damage. It is an alternative punishment for qisas.

In many cases hardened criminals are being pardoned by the family members of the deceased person on account of diyat which is according to the injunctions of Islam.

The case of Raymond Davis, an American national, is not very old and can be quoted in context. The man opened fire in public and murdered two persons in cold blood. This incident was widely reported and discussed in the media.

Davis eventually left the country after paying diyat to the victims’ families.

My question: if diyat was acceptable from a Caucasian living in the West, why cannot the same, be accepted in the case of Shahrukh Jatoi? Our ulema should enlighten the people about the diyat process.

Noushaba Haque Solangi

Karachi

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2018