In a press conference on Friday, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) parliamentary secretary on law Maleeka Bokhari announced that the bill passed on the chemical castration of rapists has been revoked.
“We have amended the criminal law and decided that the chemical castration clause will be taken out,” said Bokhari.
She said the decision was taken after the Islamic Ideology Council, a state-run body that interprets laws from an Islamic perspective, found chemical castration un-Islamic.
While talking about the Anti-Rape Bill 2021, Bokhari announced the abolishment of the “two-finger virginity test”. Moreover, according to her Pakistan’s rape conviction rate is less than 1- 2 per cent that’s why the government has introduced the setting up of Special Courts to avoid delays in the proceedings of rape cases.
Furthermore, under the new bill, she announced that National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) would register sex offenders so the government would have a record of such people.
“In an effort not to disclose the victim’s identity instead of open trial, video trials would take place under the new Anti-Rape Bill”, she added.
The Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trail) Bill 2021 also includes:
1- Creation of anti-rape crisis cells in public hospitals to ensure prompt registration of the FIR, medico-legal examination
2- Use of modern devices during investigation and trial.
3- The accused is barred from the cross-examination of a rape survivor.
4- Evidence pertaining to the ‘immoral character’ of the victim is inadmissible in court.
5- Setting up a public reporting mechanism.
