PESHAWAR, Jan 28: Justice (retd) Shahid Usmani has said that some jurists were misusing laws against women and that Hudood Ordinance, Qisas and Diat laws, including Shariat Courts, should be abolished.

He was speaking at a one-day workshop on “Honour Killing” as a resource person held under the Legislative Watch Programme of Aurat Foundation, Peshawar and Islamabad, at Abbottabad, on Sunday last.

Talking about the judges of the lower courts he said that there were no proper selection criteria for these judges. He added that their decisions regarding women were rooted in personnel biases and prejudices.

He held responsible the laws and some members of judiciary for violating the women’s basic rights.

He said that most of the judges were slaves of customs and traditions and were conservatives. Talking about the term “honour killing” he said that this concept was not Islamic and was based on customs and traditions. He termed it as “dishonourable killing”.

Talking about the specific sections of Qisas and Diat Ordinance he said that 338 F should be abolished immediately adding that the Hudood Ordinance was also an instrument in the hands of conservative judges to blackmail women.

To overcome the problems he suggested that all the laws regarding women should be made in consultation with women, and that proper representation should be given to them at the high court level.

Rashida Naz, Director Aurat Foundation, Peshawar, presented some valuable statistics regarding honour killing in different provinces of Pakistan.

Naeem, Director, Legislative Watch Programme of this foundation alleged that democratic governments had been ignoring more than half of the population of Pakistan. Such discrimination has lead the country towards extremism and sectarianism.

He also alleged that the media too had a part in manipulating women’s rights.—PPI