THIS refers to your editorial on the subject (March 24).Your paper`s oft-repeate d views on such an agonisingly painful issue are quite disconcerting. Let it be stated that taking someone`s life is not an ordinary happening. It is an act of brutality. The perpetrator must pay for it in kind and society must rid itself of such vandals.
Crime and punishment go hand in hand.
Pakistan is not alone in this exercise; many countries, including China, India and the US, levy the death penalty. Some countries award the death sentence for much lesser crimes such as the smuggling of narcotics and even corruption.
Your paper has a soft corner for even terrorists, which is strange; mere imprisonment for whatever duration falls far short of any deterrence value. What is the difference between murder and an ordinary crime? We read about murders which at times are blood-curdling. The majority of unfortunate bereaved families live in a perpetual state of trauma, and the one imprisoned is a living animal waiting for a day to come out and spread terror. A person sentenced to life imprisonment in Pakistan spends only about six to eight years in prison; the remaining sentenceiscondoned on one pretextor another.
Your paper seems alarmed at some figures of the number of convicts. The number has swelled mainly because of the pause in executions during the last few years. Prior to this, capital punishment used to be a routine affair and executions went unnoticed.
Further, bear in mind that death sentences constitute only a minor percentage of the total number of murder cases some perpetrators go free, some are pardoned, while some are imprisoned. And please alsoremember that the figure of convicts pending executions is insignificant as compared to the number killed or maimed either through terrorism or otherwise.
Don`t blame the judicial system. Society itself the investigation process, prosecution, judiciary and the lack of will to reform are to blame. Let the death penalty stay.
You want to bring down the crime rate in the country? Simply reform society through well-meaning education, build character through example and strive to become a self-respecting nation.
