LAHORE, April 1: Haider Farooq Maudoodi, son of Jamaat-i-Islami founder Maulana Abulala Maudoodi, has emphasized the need for reforming the Hudood Ordinance, which he termed un-Islamic.

In a statement issued here on Thursday, he appealed to the PML-Q leadership to table a bill in the parliament for reforming the "cruel" Hudood Ordinance without fear of reaction from the religious parties.

The chief of his own faction of Jamaat, Mr Farooq, said the ordinance promulgated by Gen Ziaul Haq prosecuted the victim instead of the oppressor. He said since the law required the complainant to produce four witnesses, it made it impossible to punish the rapists.

The requirement of so many witnesses in rape cases was un-Islamic, illogical and cruel, he said, arguing that no rape was ever committed anywhere in the world in the presence of four witnesses.

He termed the standard of honesty of witnesses required in the Law of Evidence unrealistic, adding that even pious leaders like Qazi Husain Ahmad and Senator Maulana Samiul Haq could not fulfil these requirements.

He said the laws related to Qisas and Diyat also dated to the tribal era. The situation created by Zina and Qisas Ordinances was demoralizing as culprits of honour-killings got released from police stations by striking a deal with the victims.

He said the state was responsible for the security of life and property of every citizen, but it prevented the victims from becoming complainants, which amounted to encouraging the killers. He said the Federal Shariat Court had also completed its review of Hudood laws, which should be repealed forthwith.