Chemical castration of habitual rapists clause removed from Bill

ISLAMABAD: The chemical castration of habitual rapists clause has been removed from Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2021 in the light of objections raised by the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII).

This was revealed by Parliamentary Secretary for Law and Justice Maleeka Bokhari at a press conference in Islamabad flanked by Law Minister Farogh Nasim. Ms Bokhari said the CII had objected to the punishment of chemical castration for rapists, describing it as “unIslamic”.

The clause of chemical castration of habitual rapists was later omitted from the bill before its passage in Wednesday’s joint session of parliament, Bokhari said, noting that “Article 227 of the Constitution also guarantees that all laws must be under the Shariah and the Holy Quran, hence we cannot pass any law that goes against these values.”

She said the omission was made after detailed deliberation by a government committee under the guidance of the law minister.

About the Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Bill, 2021, the MNA said the previous law had flaws that hampered the provision of justice to victims, hence a new law had been introduced to ensure swift dispensation of justice.

She explained that an anti-rape crisis cell would be set up in every district hospital for rapid medical examination of cases. Bokhari said the government had promised to protect people’s rights and “it did so by introducing necessary legislation”.