New statute raises the price tag for hate crimes based on religion, sectarianism and extremism
The National Assembly on Monday passed much desired legislation intended to put the brakes on the increasing acts of violence being committed in the fair name of religion, especially against the minorities and other vulnerable groups. Deterrent punishments have been laid down in a bid to wipe out or at least reduce the frequency of the inhuman and dastardly crimes. It was fitting, whether inadvertently and unknowingly, that the measure was adopted on the 20th anniversary of the infamous Shanti Nagar incident, when this predominantly Christian village (and neighbouring Tibba) near Khanewal were razed to the ground by an inflamed mob of thousands on the basis of rumours and heresy when the minority community was the aggrieved party in the first place. But the opposition did indulge in a little political play, by demanding that the bill be referred to the concerned committee once more, a ploy turned down by the Speaker. A unanimous and consensus-based bill would however have sent a more decisive signal.
The Criminal Laws (Amendment) Act 2016 modifies certain pertinent laws including the Pakistan Penal Code, the Police Act and the Qanoon-e-Shahadat Act, among others, by introducing stringent penalties for offenses relating to hate crimes, including the wilful dereliction of duty by security officials. Punishments for hurting religious sentiments, illegally using loudspeakers, making hate speeches, and in the case of police, neglect in the discharge of its duties during an incident, for providing false and misleading information to a government official leading to injury to others, have all been revised to a higher and more effective level. The definition of the term ‘lynching’ has also been clearly defined in the new law, encompassing all the miscreant or participants of a rampaging mob or group. Forced women and child marriages, inclusive of non-Muslims, also attract heavy penalties.
But the real obstacle lies in breaching the wall of distrust that ignorant people build around their own religion or sect to exclude the ‘others’ and in changing petrified mindsets.
