[Deathpenalty] death penalty news---worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

June 24


PAKISTAN:

Federal govt denounced for move to commute death terms


Sheikh Alauddin, Pakistan Muslim League Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q) forward bloc
member in the Punjab Assembly (PA), on Monday denounced the federal
governments move to commute death penalty to life imprisonment. He was
speaking on a point of order in the PA. He said, "The 1973 Constitution
derived its strength from the Quran and Hadith. The Quran says penalty of
killing someone is death. According to the Quran the punishment for a
thief is amputation of his or her hand."

He said the move was against the Quran and should, therefore be denounced
by the PA. He said, "If death penalty is commuted to life imprisonment, as
suggested by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, 7,000 murderers will get
benefit from it. It means that 70,000 families will remain aggrieved." MPA
Uzma Bokhari said, "People confuse the Hudood Ordinance with the Pakistan
Penal Code. Commuting of death penalty with life imprisonment has nothing
to do with the Hudood Ordinance.

PA Deputy Speaker Rana Mashhood, however, asked the members to continue
their arguments in the next session, because the ongoing session was meant
to discuss budget.

(source: Daily Times)