Repeal of Hudood Ordinance

General Pervez Musharraf
President of Pakistan
Islamabad, Pakistan



July 21,2002

Dear Mr. President,

We at Women For Humanity, A Not For Profit organization whose mission is to promote better understanding in the world through uplifting the status and education of women worldwide,would like to add our voice to others including Womans Action Forum, Amnesty International, Lawyers for Human Rights and Legal Aid, Joint Action Committee in petitioning you to repeal Hudood Ordinance.

We were very pleased to know of your commitment to human rights, free press, free speech and women's rights as told by Dr. Riffat Hassan, a social activists who had the honor to have met you. We admired your courage to side with the United States of America to fight terrorism. We also understand you have many internal and external problems pressing on your time and resources. But we feel recent reports of violence against women cannot be ignored.

Since September 11 the world has changed in many ways some good and some not
so good but one thing that hasn't changed is the suffering of women in Pakistan. In fact judging from recent reports it may be on the rise.

Women are being maimed, mutilated, burned and killed, in majority of cases for no fault of their own. Amnesty International has documented case after case of violent crimes against women in Pakistan. Unless steps are taken to uplift the status of woman, Pakistan cannot progress and reach its potential.

If Pakistan wants to maintain its image as a civilized and progressive country, womens issues must addressed without delay. We feel Hudood Ordinance is biased against women and urge you to repeal it as soon as possible. We also request your government in the strongest possible terms to investigate, prosecute and punish the criminals.

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Pakistan: Violence Against Women on the Increase and Still No Protection
The Pakistani government is failing to protect women from increasing
violence, in the home and community as well as in custody, Amnesty
International said today in a new report. In its fifth report on women in
Pakistan, Amnesty International summarizes the current government's
commitments to uphold women's rights, describes cases of abuses, the failure
of the criminal justice system, and sets out recommendations.
http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/2002/pakistan04172002_2.html

AI Index: ASA 33/008/2002
Publish date: 17/04/2002
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Reports

--On 6 April 1999, 29-year-old Samia Sarwar of Peshawar, North West Frontier
Province (NWFP) was subjected to high levels of domestic violence, beating,
kicking and other physical abuse which she was not willing to bear. Samia,
mother of two young sons, was shot dead in her attorney's office in Lahore
for seeking divorce from her abusive husband. Her lawyer Hina Jilani was
also threatened but not injured. The accused named in the police report and
identified by witnesses as far as we know have not been apprehended.

-- In December 2000, three brothers overpowered their sister-in-law, Anila,
sprinkled kerosene on her clothes and set her on fire in a village near
Sukkur when they suspected her of infidelity. Her father rescued her and
took her to hospital where, with 85\% burns, she died.

-- In early 2001, Mir Afzal cut off the nose of his wife Amroz Khatoon in
Karachi as he suspected her of infidelity. He then attempted to kill her
but
neighbours alerted by the noise interceded. Police arrested the man and his
accomplices but Amroz Khatoon has received threats to her life if she
pursues
her complaint.

-- Sunday May 12, 2002 it was reported that Zafran Bibi from Kohat district
in NWFP, was sentenced to death by stoning for adultry she did not commit,
though the sentence was not carried out.

-- on June 22 A tribal council in Meerwala in Punjab province ordered a gang
rape of Muktaran to avenge of an alleged affair by her brother. After being
raped
she was forced to walk naked in front of spectators. Two other lesser
publicized cases of gang rape occurred in the same week. One young woman
committed suicide after being raped.

These are only a few of a long list of horrific crimes committed against women in Pakistan. The existence of Hudood ordinance has emboldened the judges and the jury alike to mete out sentences to women in a society already biased against them. Unless these laws are repealed and the perptrators of crimes against them are brought to justice, the women as well as Pakistan will continue to suffer.