Faisalabad (AsiaNews) – The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), an advisory body made of Muslim scholars and lawmakers that informs central and provincial governments on whether bills conform to Islamic precepts, is prepared to review Hudood laws that have been criticised for violating women's rights.

CII chairman Khalid Masud said that the Council "is reviewing the basic structure of the Hudood Ordinances to improve the legislation in light of three reports", one by the Commission presided by retired justice Nasir Aslam Zahid,  the second by the National Commission on the Status of Women presided by retired Justice Majida Rizvi, and a third by Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, an NGO.

Chairman Masud said the council would make recommendations to the government but "any change in legislation would be a matter for parliament" to decide.

Human rights and women's rights groups were elated at the announcement—for years, they have been raising awareness about the injustices committed under such laws.

Hudood Ordinances were adopted in 1979 under the military rule of the late General Zia ul-Haq. They cover four parts: property offenses, qazaf (false accusation of adultery), adultery and various prohibited activities.

Non-marital rape and adultery are treated in the same way. A woman victim of rape can expect justice if she can provide four adult, male, Muslim witnesses who are willing to testify that they saw the act of penetration.

If unable to prove her case, a rape victim can be charged with adultery and sentenced to prison. And according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, thousands of women are now languishing in jail under the Hudood Ordinances.

The National Commission on the Status of Women reports that between 30 to 40 per cent of women jailed in Pakistan were detained for crimes under the Hudood Ordinances.

Data collected by Madadgaar, a non-governmental organization, record 196 Hudood cases in the first four months of this year across the country: 106 cases in Punjab, 77 in Sindh, 11 in Balochistan and two in North Western Frontier Province.