PTI sets up anti-rape cells in districts
ISLAMABAD: The PTI-led federal government has decided to set up anti-rape crisis cells in every district to curb the growing incidents of sexual assault in the country. An Anti-Rape Ordinance Implementation Committee will oversee these cells.
According to a notification, the Federal Ministry of Law on Friday constituted the 42-member Anti-Rape Ordinance Implementation Committee to be headed by PTI leader Maleeka Bokhari. Barrister Ambreen Abbasi will be the secretary of the committee.
It also includes Justice (retd) Nasira Javid Iqbal, advisers to the law ministry Hasan Mehmood and Zahoor Ahmed, and representatives of the Ministry of Human Rights, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Interior, the National Database Registration Authority (NADRA), and provincial forensic agencies.
The committee will present its recommendations to the prime minister.
The law minister said the crisis cells in every district would be led by the respective deputy commissioner and assist the rape victims. Each cell will also include the individual district police officer and health officer of the district.
The Anti-Rape Ordinance Implementation Committee will also appoint an independent support officer for every cell, the sources said.
The Cabinet Committee for Disposal of Legislative Cases on November 27, 2020, approved two ordinances to introduce harsher punishments for sex offenders, including chemical castration and special courts for rape cases.
According to a statement issued by the law ministry. The Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Ordinance, 2020, and the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020. Introduced the concept of chemical castration mainly as a “form of rehabilitation.”
“The two-state of the art pieces of legislation are in line with the Constitutional guarantees of Pakistan. As also the International treaties,” it read. These laws provide mechanisms to curb sexual abuse crimes against women and children.
Anti-rape crisis cells headed by a commissioner or deputy commissioner will be set up to ensure prompt registration of an FIR, medical examination, and forensic analysis.
The law abolishes the inhumane and degrading two-finger virginity testing for rape victims. During the medico-legal examination and eliminates any attachment of probative value to it.
The ordinance also bars the cross-examination of a rape survivor by the accused. Only the judge and the accused’s lawyers will be able to cross-examine the survivor.
The proposed law also includes:
In-camera trials.
Witness protection for the victim and witnesses.
Use of modern devices during investigation and trial.
- Legal assistance to the victims through the Legal Aid and Justice Authority.
- Appointment of independent support advisers.
Special prosecutors for the special courts will also be appointed. The investigation will be conducted by joint investigation teams headed by district police officers. A special committee will be formed on a pro-bono basis to ensure the overall implementation of the law.
The prime minister will issue rules on the special committee’s recommendation for giving medico-legal examination and investigation and prosecution guidelines based on the latest modern techniques and devices. Data of sex offenders registered through NADRA will be maintained. A public reporting mechanism will also be devised.
