Pseudo-deterrent

The Senate’s recent decision to pass a bill seeking to abolish the death penalty for certain offences has sparked debate. Many critics argue that removing the ultimate punishment signals weakness. But what they ignore is the stark failure of our justice system to deliver convictions in the first place. What good is a death sentence when the conviction rate in serious crimes, particularly gender-based violence, remains well below 1 per cent? The harsh truth is that the death penalty has existed on our books for decades, yet it has failed to deter crimes it was meant to prevent. In Pakistan, victims often find no justice because the system never gets that far and not because punishments are too lenient.

Globally, many European countries have abolished capital punishment and yet maintain far better crime control through functional institutions, efficient legal systems and credible law enforcement. Pakistan has used the death penalty more as an illusion of toughness than an effective deterrent. Removing capital punishment in certain non-lethal offences is realism. A justice system must work with integrity, not intimidation. We must stop mistaking harshness for effectiveness and focus instead on delivering justice that is credible, enforceable and truly serves the people.

Majid Burfat

Karachi