THIS is apropos the letter ‘Concept of diyat’ (Nov 5) by Noushaba Haque Solangi. The writer has made a mistake by saying that diyat is paid for bodily injury too. Not diyat, but arsh or daman is paid for it.

She asks that if Raymond Davis, an American national, could be released by paying diyat to the legal heirs of victim, why not Shahrukh Jatoi?

One thing which we have to understand is that the Davis case was different from Shahrukh’s, though both cases are of murder. Davis was booked under Pakistan Penal Code 1860, which makes murder a compoundable offence.

Thus there is an option available for the convict to be released after making a settlement with legal heirs of the victim. Since Shahrukh has been charged under Anti-Terrorism Act 1997, no such relief is available for him because he was booked under ATA. Therefore, even after paying diyat money to Shahzaib’s heirs, he is still facing the case.

Shahzad Javed

Shikarpur

Published in Dawn, November 19th, 2018