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Pakistan Changes Rape Laws

The current law regarding rape in Pakistan is derived from Islamic law as defined by the Hudood ordinance, introduced by former military ruler, General Zia-ul-Haq, in 1979. According to this law a woman accusing a man of rape has the impossible burden of providing four Muslim men who have witnessed the rape. The law also exposed woman complaining of rape to charges of rape.

The landmark parliamentary vote on Wednesday transfers the crime of rape from Islamic law to that of the civil penal code. The bill also introduces the concept of statutory rape, outlawing sex with girls under the age of 16. The former law only prohibited sex with girls before puberty. In an effort to please conservatives, the bill also defines a punishment of up to 5 years and a $2460 fine for extra-marital sex.

The bill still has to be approved by the upper house of parliament before it becomes the law. The bill is backed by western governments and human right activists who see it as a first step in the "enlightened moderation" policy formulated by Pakistani President, General Pervez Musharraf. While Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz hailed the vote, saying: "It is a historic bill because it will give rights to women and help end excesses against them," Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, leader of the Islamist opposition coalition said the law would encourage free sex and moral degradation. If this bill is signed in to law this will be a great step in the direction of reform.