The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly will pass a law for the protection of children against sex offenders on Friday.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Child Protection and Welfare Act 2020, which will be effective immediately, proposes 14 years of imprisonment and the imposition of a fine of Rs. 5 million on child rapists and abusers.
The bill has been approved by the provincial Cabinet and will be presented in the provincial Assembly tomorrow. It includes punishments for “dealing with the organs of a child, child pornography, exposure to seduction, and child trafficking”.
ALSO READ
SSGC Issues New CNG Closure Schedule for Sindh
A new section introduced under the bill allows for the following measures if the offender is the victim’s relative:
- If the offender is given a death sentence, the proceedings of the sentence will be recorded and accessible to the public.
- In the case of life imprisonment, the offender will not be granted parole or probation, and their sentence will not be reduced.
Pedophiles who complete their terms will be registered in a Register of Sexual Offenders that will be maintained and overseen by a commission.
ALSO READ
Sindh Announces Dates for Matric and Inter Exams
Additionally, the offenders on the list will face the following restrictions:
- They cannot be employed at an organization connected with children within the province.
- They will be prohibited from using any kind of public transport that is accessible to children.
- The data of the offender will be put up on the commission’s website and will also be shared with the NADRA.
- An offender will be reviewed by the commission every three years to make a decision regarding the removal or retention of their name in the register.
If any organization (public or private) employs a sex offender, its manager will be imprisoned for five years and fined Rs. 10 million.
