Fast-track courts for rape cases gets nod

Pakistan’s Senate subcommittee has approved the anti-rape bill that seeks the formation of special courts to fasttrack trials in rape cases to provide speedy justice.

The ‘Anti-rape (investigation and trial) bill 2021’ was referred to the Senate standing committee on law and justice after the National Assembly passed the bill on June 10. It will now be referred to the Senate for approval.

Objections raised

The meeting was presided over by Senator Syed Ali Zafar and attended by senators including Shibli Faraz, Mohammad Azam Khan Swati, Raza Rabbani, Farooq Naek, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and senior officers from the ministry of law and justice.

Law minister Senator Farogh Naseem and parliamentary secretary for law and justice Malika Bukhari were also present.

Some members of the opposition including PPP’s Raza Rabbani expressed reservations over the formation of special courts. PML-N’s Azam Nazeer Tarar claimed that similar courts were established in the past, and have not served any purpose.

Justice in four months

After much deliberation, however, the subcommittee approved the bill which calls for the establishment of special courts to decide the outcome of the trial in rape cases within four months.

The suspects cannot be granted bail during the trial. If suspects are proven guilty, they could face a death sentence, life imprisonment, or chemical castration, said Barrister Zafar.