On the 25^th anniversary of the notorious Hudood Ordinances, GEO News, considered the country’s biggest broadcaster, decided to engage in debate and discussion about the landmark legal developments under General Zia ul Haq.

As part of its “Zara Sochiye” initiative, GEO TV has begun organizing around controversial issues, such as the Hudood Ordinances. As part of these, a distinguished group of scholars including Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Chairman Maulana Muneeb Ur Rehman, religious scholar Javed Ghamidi, and others was invited to the discussion.

Having a discussion over such controversial issues, which already complicated by lack of information and other issues, may be seen as a major breakthrough. Despite decades having passed since the Hudood Ordinances were introduced, politicians and major political parties have refrained from bringing these issues onto the parliament floor for debate and discussion.

The Hudood Ordinances have remained the subject of many studies in different circles across Pakistan, in a wide variety of settings. In 1997, The Commission of Inquiry on Women recommended for the Hudood Ordinances to be repealed. The Council of Islamic Ideology also closely studied the Ordinances in the light of the Quran and Sunnah, managing to produce a report consisting of valuable insights and recommendations.