Zainab Alert Bill

Like most plans meant to benefit the public, the Zainab Alert, Recovery and Response Bill too is moving at a glacial speed. After two years, only the National Assembly has approved the bill and now it will need the approval of the Senate to become law. A highly disappointing aspect of the bill, according to media reports, is that the measures introduced in the bill will only extend to the Islamabad Capital Territory. Experts say since the bill involves the Pakistan Penal Code and the CrPC, it will have to be passed by the provincial assemblies in order to be implemented in the provinces.

People had much expectation from the proposed bill with regard to curbing the rising trend of child sexual abuse in the country but their expectations are meeting with disappointment because of the delay. Nine-year-old Zainab Ansari was raped and murdered in Kasur in Jan 2018. The horrifying incident had sparked outrage and protests all over the country; riots had broken out in Kasur in which two people were killed. A court sentenced her murderer and rapist, Imran Ali, to death. He was hanged in October of the same year.

In Aug 2019, a parliamentary panel deferred the passage of the bill with directions to the government to rationalise the “harsh” punishment proposed for sexual assault against children. Members had differed over rigorous punishment until death for sexual assault. Under the bill passed on Jan 9, the maximum punishment for child sexual abuse will be life imprisonment with a fine of one million rupees while the minimum punishment will be 10 years. A helpline will be established to report missing children and an agency for issuing an alert for missing children will also be set up. The bill proposes action against police officials who cause unnecessary delay in investigating such cases. Those who fail to respond to the alert within two hours could also face action.

Slow and steady wins the race. This justifies the delay, however.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 11^th, 2020.

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