President of Pakistan Dr. Arif Alvi has signed the Anti-Rape Ordinance 2020, allowing the establishment of special courts for speedy trials of cases pertaining to sexual violence against women and children.
These courts will be bound to conclude rape cases within four months.
President Alvi tweeted the detail of the ordinance on Tuesday, saying that anti-rape crisis cells will be constituted under this law. These cells will perform medico-legal examinations within six hours of a sex offense.
صدر مملکت ڈاکٹر عارف علوی نے انسدادِ ریپ آرڈیننس2020ء کی منظوری دیدی. آرڈیننس سے عورتوں اور بچوں کے خلاف جنسی زیادتی کے معاملات کو جلد نمٹانے میں مدد ملے گی۔ جنسی زیادتی کے ملزمان کے تیز ٹرائل اور کیسز جلد از جلد نمٹانے کیلئے ملک بھر میں اسپیشل کورٹس کا قیام عمل میں لایا جائے گا۔ pic.twitter.com/3awfqnXOcO
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) December 15, 2020
The cells will also keep records of sexual offenders, rapists, and pedophiles with the help of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).
Under the new ordinance, revealing the identity of a rape victim or survivor is a punishable offense.
Though the President’s tweet does not mention the punishments for the sexual abusers, the cabinet-approved draft proposed chemical castration, death sentence, and life imprisonment for habitual rapists.
On November 27, the federal cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan, had okayed the draft proposal, after which it was forwarded to the President of Pakistan for approval.
Taking notice of a brutal rape incident of a Karachi mother and her daughter in Kashmore, PM Khan had asked Law Minister Farogh Naseem to formulate a comprehensive anti-rape law.
Understanding the urgency of the matter, Khan had said that no delay will be tolerated.
We need to ensure a safe environment for our citizens.
Rape laws in Pakistan
Much has been said and heard about the lacunas in the existing rape laws of the country, which often benefit the offenders.
However, after the Lahore Motorway gang-rape incident followed by the Kashmore and Kasur episodes, the government had decided to introduce stricter laws and punishments for sex criminals.
Though Khan was in favor of public hanging for rapists and pedophiles, he was told that public hanging goes against the international laws.
The new ordinance, however, includes life imprisonment and death sentences for rapists.
There has been much debate around rape laws in Pakistan. The incident of Kasur’s Zainab and, more recently, the motorway gang-rape in Lahore sparked a debate on the severity of punishment to prevent sexual assaults.
In an interview, PM Imran Khan had suggested public hanging and chemically castrating the convicts to curb rising sexual violence in the country.
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