Evolution of Rape Laws in Pakistan

Rape laws in Pakistan have undergone enormous changes since the implementation of the Hudood Laws in 1979. My project will specifically focus on the Offence of Zina, where zina is defined as sexual intercourse with someone other than your lawful spouse – adultery, fornication, rape and prostitution. In addition to analyzing Sharia’s impact on rape laws, my research will also take into account how colonial British law and post-independence political movements have influenced legislation concerning rape. I will look at how repealing the Hudood laws and passing the Women’s Protection Bill in 2006 have affected rape jurisprudence. The current civil penal code allows the use of forensic and other circumstantial evidence in making a judicial decision, but women still face tremendous difficulties in overcoming prejudice in rape trials. I argue that political parties such as Jama’at-e-Islami and government regimes like that of Zia-ul-Haq’s have justified their ideological and political agendas by misinterpreting the Quran and the practices of Prophet Muhammad. Research methodologies include collecting information from published articles, books, documentaries, and interviews with ulemas (religious scholars versed in Quranic teachings) and modern critics such as Ayaan Hirshi Ali.