ISLAMABAD – Amid protest by the opposition parties, the government approved33 bills including the Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trail) Bill 2021,allowing chemical castration of rape convicts.
Reports in local media said the bill was presented by PM’s aide onParliamentary Affairs Babar Awan with Jamaat-i-Islami members introducingan amendment demanding the replacement of chemical castration with hanging.
JI lawmaker Mushtaq Ahmed termed the bill un-Islamic and against Sharia.Ahmed said a rapist should be hanged in public, as the Islamic legal systemdoesn’t allow such punishment.
The joint session opposed the amendment and the bill was passed with themajority vote. “Chemical castration is a process duly notified by rulesframed by the prime minister, whereby a person is rendered incapable ofperforming sexual intercourse for any period of his life, as may bedetermined by the court through administration of drugs which shall beconducted through a notified medial board”, the bill cited.
The recent legislation related to sex crimes was rooted by public outcryagainst a recent surge in incidents of rape of women and children in theSouth Asian country.
The incumbent authorities will establish special courts across the countryto expedite trials of rape suspects and decide cases of sexual abuseexpeditiously, preferably within four months.
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Officials will also keep the record of serial offenders will with the helpof the National Database and Registration Authority. It also added that theidentity of survivors will be protected and anti-rape crisis cells will beformed to conduct medical examinations of victims within hours of theincident.
The convicted persons will be sentenced to death or imprisoned for the restof their lives, while habitual offenders could be subjected to chemicalcastration.
Human rights commended the legislation but underscored the need forimproved policing and prosecution to ensure justice for victims of sexualviolence.
Earlier in 2020, PM Imran Khan approved a law for the chemical castrationof serial rapists. The decision was made during a federal cabinet meetingwherein the law ministry presented a draft of the anti-rape ordinance.
