ISLAMABAD:
A Senate subcommittee approved a bill proposing stricter punishments for rape, including a minimum of 25 years in prison and a fine of 1 million rupees or the death penalty.
The legislation aims to create stronger deterrents against sexual violence in Pakistan. The meeting of the subcommittee of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior, chaired by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri, was held in Parliament on Tuesday.
The committee reviewed Senator Mohsin Aziz’s amendment to the CrPC Code, which includes recommendations to increase penalties for rape.
Senator Aziz proposed that convicted rapists be imprisoned for life, literally until their last breath.
During the session, it was revealed that the Islamabad Capital Territory and the Sindh government were opposed to the bill. Sindh authorities even considered the proposed penalty “absurd.”
However, President Zehri strongly supported the proposed amendments and said that the perpetrators of such heinous crimes must be made an example. “While real criminals walk free, police officers often jail targeted people for financial gain,” he said.
The committee was briefed by the Special Secretary for Home Affairs, who noted that while the death penalty existed for rape under current laws, its implementation was restricted due to international agreements and obligations, including those under GSP status.
