PPP for joint sitting of parliament on anti-rape legislation

One proposed bill calls for rape cases to be decided within six months, using DNA testing for prosecution

ISLAMABAD:

With Pakistan recording dismal conviction rates for rape cases, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is hoping to use today’s (Monday) Senate session to press for a joint sitting of parliament to deliberate on and eventually pass legislation it feels is critical for providing speedy justice to rape victims.

PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar will move a motion in the Senate on three bills passed by the upper house, so that the legislative process could be expedited. The bills include Anti-Rape Laws (Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill 2014, Anti-Rape Laws Bill and The Privatisation Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2013. These bills moved by PPP’s Sughra Imam had been passed by the Senate, but the National Assembly failed to move on them within the allotted 90 days.

Senator Babar explained that following a recent ruling by Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani, a member of the upper house may move a motion to refer bills to the joint session of parliament. If the motion is carried by the house, the president would be obliged to summon a joint sitting of parliament without having to refer it to the ministry of parliamentary affairs or require a summary from the prime minister.

Read: Anti-rape law amendment: Another victory for Pakistan

The anti-rape amendment bill seeks to amend the Pakistan Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and the Qanoon-i-Shahadat to improve upon rape prosecution.

Senator Babar said some amendments proposed in the law include mandatory DNA tests within 24 hours of a rape being reported, and resolution of cases within six months. The bill also proposes a three-year sentence with a fine for a public servant who fails to properly and diligently carry out investigations. Further, identity of rape victims will be protected and penalties will be imposed for disclosing personal information of rape victims, including unauthorised publication of case details.

Police officers and public servants who take advantage of their position to rape women in their custody will be handed life imprisonment.

In November last year, the interior ministry had told the Senate that an alarming 14,583 rape cases had been registered in the country over the last five years. Punjab, which accounted for 12,795 of the cases, saw convictions in just 949 cases. Of the 90 rape cases reported in the federal capital, there was a conviction in only one case.

Read: Senate panel approves changes in anti-rape laws

One of the clauses in that bill already faces opposition. The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) had last year rejected DNA tests for resolving rape cases. “The CII is merely an advisory body whose recommendations are not binding on parliament,” Senator Babar said, adding that the tests could be helpful in prosecuting cases.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 5^th, 2015.