The Senate standing committee of Pakistan has approved the formation of special courts to hear rape cases under the Anti-rape (Investigation and Trial) bill 2021.
Earlier this Wednesday, the Senate standing committee on law and justice completely passed the Anti-rape bill which was headed by the Chairperson of this committee Syed Ali Zafar. Other members include Farooq Hamid Naek, Mian Raza Rabbani, Muhammad Hamayun Mohmand, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, Syed Muzafar Hussain Shah, Walid Iqbal, Azam Nazeer Tarar, Kamran Murtaza, Muhammad Azam Khan Swati, Musadik Masood Malik, Samina Mumtaz Zehri, and Shibli Faraz.
Another meeting was held in the sub-committee which was led by Barrister Ali Zafar. Opposition members in this meeting expressed reservation regarding provisions related to the formation of special courts and that was rejected in the very meeting by a majority vote.
It should be noted that this bill had passed by National Assembly earlier on June 10, 2021, which was referred to the senate to proceed further. President Arif Alvi had also approved the Anti-rape ordinance in December last year. He firmly advocated the formation of special courts for speedy and fair trials against sexual assault suspects.
Malika Bukhari, a member of the National Assembly informed the panel about the provision of formation of special courts to deal with rape cases to which opposition members opposed vehemently. PPP member Raza Rabani said that he is not against the rules for the fair trial against oppressors of rape cases but he opposes the formation of special courts to hear rape cases.
Another opposition member of PML(N), Azam Nazeer Tarar opposed the formation of special courts by saying that such courts were also formulated in the past but failed to deliver.
Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, a member of PPP matching his voice with the fellow members said that the judicial system has become disabled, which is evident from such provisions relating to the formation of special courts for the protection of children and women.
The panel was also told about the criteria for the appointment of judges that only serving judges will be allowed to hear the rape cases in the special courts.
Despite these reservations, Barrister Zafar stated clearly that the Anti-rape bill would not be passed without the inclusion of provisions related to the formation of special courts. After the meeting ended, he told the media about the abolition of the virginity test, an important constituent of the bill. He further said that suspect would undergo chemical castration, life imprisonment, and even death if proven guilty. Any official guilty of misleading the case through any means would be given a penalty, he added.