While announcing the punishment on Wednesday, judicial magistrate issued orders that the accused will clean Farooq-e-Azam and Fareedul Hussain mosques in the city on each Friday for two years.
Meanwhile, people expressed happiness over the court’s decision. They lauded the decision of the judicial magistrate and said the move will help in eliminating crime at low level.
While speaking to The Express Tribune, Muhammad Hanzala, one of the residents near Farooq-e-Azam Mosque said, “The court should have also directed the accused to take care of the shoes outside the mosques during Friday prayers.”
Another resident Ali Hamza said, “Two years are not enough. They should clean the mosques for the rest of their lives.”
Similarly, Hassan Malik said, “I admire the decision of the court but I fear these criminals will now pickpocket worshippers.”
The backdrop
The Probation of Offenders Ordinance was promulgated in 1960.
The Ordinance was a milestone in the progress of modern liberal trend of reform in the field of penology.
The ordinance was promulgated under the following features: to change the concept of punishment to reformation, to ensure an accused/convict may not become a cause of unrest to the society, to make a convict beneficial instead of harmful for society and to ensure that the offender may not repeat the offence.
Under the Probation of Offenders Ordinance 1960, judicial warning and imprisonment is suspended, giving the offender an opportunity to be rehabilitated under the supervision and guidance of a probation officer for one to three years.
This officer is then expected to help the offender look for a job and for accommodation.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 1st, 2016.
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