ISLAMABAD, Oct 28: The federal government is in a fix to come up with a clear decision on the question of repealing or reviewing the controversial Hudood Ordinance or leaving the issue to the new civilian government, informed sources told Dawn.

However, the sources said it was very likely that the National Commission on Status of Women (NCSW), having completed it deliberations on the controversial provisions of Hudood Ordinance during the fifth and last meeting of the special committee on law on October 24 and 25 in Karachi, will submit its recommendations to the federal government before the formation of a new setup.

To a query, sources said owing to the pressure from religious scholars representing a certain sect, the committee had agreed not to repeal Hudood Ordinance as a whole but to review its objectionable clauses.

It may be added here that earlier there were reports that majority of the special committee members were of the view that Hudood Ordnance should be repealed.

Earlier this year, a 13-member special committee, comprising distinguished jurists, religious scholars, eminent representatives of the civil society organizations and human rights activists, was given six weeks time to come up with final recommendations whether to repeal or amend Hudood Ordinance. However, due to the difference of opinion which had emerged within the special committee, consensus could not be reached at even after the expiry of six weeks time ending on June 15. The committee kept on asking for more time to iron out conflicting viewpoints among members.

Referring to the conflicting viewpoints that came under discussion during the course of the special committee’s meetings, the sources said the committee could not decide on sections five and six of the Hudood Ordinance which dealt with Zina or Zina bil Jabr whereby the victim became an accused the moment she lodged an FIR against the accused.

The sources further added that one of the committee members had severely criticized the condition under which a woman victim was required to produce four male witnesses to get the accused convicted.

The commission, a statutory body, was formally inaugurated on September 1, 2000 with the objectives of emancipation of women; equalization of the opportunities and socio-economic conditions among women and elimination of all forms of discrimination against women.