Plea filed for strict laws against necrophilia

Petitioner urges LHC to issue directives for legislation, amendments

LAHORE:

A writ petition has been filed in Lahore High Court to stop necrophilia through strict laws and policies.

Syeda Izzat Fatima, who is a lawyer, contended in her petition that there had been numerous reported and unreported incidents in Pakistan where individuals had been caught molesting dead bodies but there were no specific laws to charge the culprits.

She cited an incident in which one Mohammad Riyaz was accused of molesting 48 bodies in Karachi’s North Nazimabad Town.

The petitioner stated that Article 37 of the Constitution, dealing with “Promotion of social justice and eradication of social evils”, covered the act of necrophilia, which was a social evil not just towards the deceased but their families as well. She said many families were reluctant to bury their female members in graveyards and they mostly kept protecting the graves for months in a fear that the deceased could also become a victim of the heinous act.

“There are no relevant provisions in Pakistan to deal with necrophilia and due to that there are countless incidents where offenders are being arrested but discharged later because there are no laws or provisions to charge such offenders,” Advocate Izzat Fatima added.

She cited Article 9 of the Constitution that guarantees security of the person  and Article 14 that safeguards inviolability of dignity of citizens. She stated the offenders not only harmed the dignity of a dead person, but it also extended to the dignity of surviving family members.

The petitioner made respondents the federal secretary of the ministry law, justice & parliamentary affairs, the Law & Justice Commission of Pakistan, ministry of human rights, chief secretary of Punjab and inspector general Punjab Police.

She prayed the court that directions be issued to legislate or amend laws regarding the crime of necrophilia to ensure severity of punishment.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 10^th, 2022.