The joint session of the Parliament passed the Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Bill 2021, today, allowing the chemical castration of rape convicts and habitual sex offenders.
The Anti-Rape Bill, which was one of the 33 bills passed during the session, will be enacted as a law after it is signed by President Arif Alvi.
The bill provides for the establishment of special courts and the use of modern tools for the investigation and trial of rape cases besides demanding the chemical castration of rape convicts.
As stated in the bill, “the chemical castration is a process duly notified by rules framed by the prime minister, whereby a person is rendered incapable of performing sexual intercourse for any period of his life, as may be determined by the court through administration of drugs which shall be conducted through a notified medical board”.
The Advisor to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs, Babar Awan, presented the bill in the Parliament but it was opposed by Senator Mushtaq Ahmed of the Jamaat-e-Islami who called it ‘un-Islamic and against the Sharia’. The latter proposed an amendment to replace chemical castration with public hanging as there is no provision for castration in the Shariah.
However, the amendment was also opposed and was instead added as a new section in the bill, after which the bill was passed with the majority vote of the treasury lawmakers.
The bills related to the use of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and the Second Election Amendment Bill 2021, granting the right of vote to overseas Pakistanis were also adopted during the joint session held today (Thursday, 18 November).
