ISLAMABAD: A representative assembly of women and human rights activists from all the 110 districts of Pakistan said a big 'NO' to Hudood Ordinance promulgated by General Ziaul Haq in February 1979 in order to prolong his rule.
They also demanded abolishing the Federal Shariat Court. Organised by Joint Action Forum (JAF), a conglomerate of civil society, NGOs and human rights organisations at a local hotel here Sunday, the speakers and participants of the "National Conference on Hudood Ordinances: time to repeal" said that after a 27-year struggle, the government and a section of ulema accepted lacunae, mistakes and deceit in the legislation, the bad law must be repealed. The spacious hall was packed to capacity and many participants had to stand or sit on whatever space they found near the stage. As mentioned by the stage secretary Naeem Mirza, the charged hall was presenting a spectre of Mochi Gate in Lahore.
Justice (r) Javed Iqbal said that when the cases under Hudood Laws came up before him, the abuse of the laws was simply hair-raising and he asked Gen Zia to repeal them but he would not listen. He said that the ordinance has nothing to do with the philosophy behind the creation of Pakistan.
He said that this law was a stigma on the face of Islam. He said that he received threats through letters and telephone. He said that as a Supreme Court judge, he reported the matter and was provided commandoes. What will happen to a country where you need commandoes for saying the truth, he asked.
HRCP chief and WAF activist Asma Jehangir in her fiery speech criticized the role of judiciary for siding with the rich and oppressors and expressed her wish to file a law suit against superior judiciary in this respect. She said, "only poor were punished under the laws promulgated in the name of Islam in this unfortunate country." She said that she does not want irrevocable punishments to any innocent. She said that by amendments in the Hudood Ordinance, the government may please its western masters but women of this country will not accept anything short of repeal. She accused the security agencies of conspiring with 'maulvis' in sending threats to human rights activists.
Justice (r) Shaiq Usmani said that mischief was part of Zia's personality and the ordinance was its outcome. He said that Zina Ordinance equated rape with adultery and does not recognize verbal divorce and marriage at will. He said that "qazaf" was never implemented in Zina Ordinance.
Dr Tufail Hashmi, Sameena Khan, Joseph Francis, Justice (rd) Tariq Usmani, Dr Farooq Khan, Mohammad Tehsin, Mehboob Sada and Nigar Ahmad also spoke on the occasion.
An unscheduled rally was also carried out at the end to vent the sentiments of the participants who could only raise slogans or do clapping in the hall. Carrying placards and banners removed from the hall, the demonstrators rejected "Zina Ordinance," "Musharraf amendments," religious fanaticism through vociferous slogans. The rally which continued for more than 30 minutes caught the police unaware and poor cops could do nothing to stop a demonstration which had no approval from the district administration of this Section-144-stricken city.
