K-P may recommend public execution for child abuse
Assembly speaker says they may approach the Supreme Court in this regard
Representational image. PHOTO: REUTERS
PESHAWAR:
A special parliamentary committee formed by the provincial government to offer recommendations on curtailing child abuse has decided to include provisions for public execution in its list of suggestions for legislation against the heinous offence.
A meeting of the 13-member special parliamentary committee against child abuse was held on Monday with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly Speaker Mushtaq Ghani. Lawmakers and senior officials from the law and social welfare department as well as prominent psychiatrists, clerics and K-P Advocate General (AG) also participated in the meeting.
Speaking to The Express Tribune after the committee meeting, the provincial assembly speaker said that they will advocate for public execution in such cases and will even approach the Supreme Court for the purpose.
The committee in its meeting also asked the Council Islamic Ideological (CII) to shed light on Islamic laws against the notorious practice.
Sub-committees were formed to help the legislative process and to ensure the implementation of the devised laws. These sub-committees will prepare and submit recommendations within two weeks to the special committee against child abuse.
Senior law ministry officials told the committee that the Zainab Alert Response and Recovery Act (ZARRA) has been presented before the Senate from where it has been referred to the CII for review and recommendations.
They added that the committee will decide its future course after receiving suggestions from the CII.
Lawmakers complained that the sole forensic laboratory in the province lacked critical facilities due to which all DNA samples collected in child abuse cases have to be sent to Lahore for examination. This meant that the procedure took weeks to complete, they added.
The lawmakers also pointed out that the K-P forensic lab was working under the K-P police department, unlike the Punjab forensic lab which is an autonomous institution.
Ghani said the people across the province are looking at the committee for cogent recommendations to curb the practice, and vowed that they will put in all efforts to root out the menace from society.
He suggested the establishment of model courts and police stations to deal with such cases. He assured that they will emphasise on it in their recommendations for the final draft.
The provincial assembly speaker added that they will also include clerics, officials from police, law and social welfare departments as well as psychiatrists and lawmakers in the legislation process.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 28th, 2020.
A special parliamentary committee formed by the provincial government to offer recommendations on curtailing child abuse has decided to include provisions for public execution in its list of suggestions for legislation against the heinous offence.
A meeting of the 13-member special parliamentary committee against child abuse was held on Monday with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly Speaker Mushtaq Ghani. Lawmakers and senior officials from the law and social welfare department as well as prominent psychiatrists, clerics and K-P Advocate General (AG) also participated in the meeting.
Speaking to The Express Tribune after the committee meeting, the provincial assembly speaker said that they will advocate for public execution in such cases and will even approach the Supreme Court for the purpose.
The committee in its meeting also asked the Council Islamic Ideological (CII) to shed light on Islamic laws against the notorious practice.
Sub-committees were formed to help the legislative process and to ensure the implementation of the devised laws. These sub-committees will prepare and submit recommendations within two weeks to the special committee against child abuse.
Senior law ministry officials told the committee that the Zainab Alert Response and Recovery Act (ZARRA) has been presented before the Senate from where it has been referred to the CII for review and recommendations.
They added that the committee will decide its future course after receiving suggestions from the CII.
Lawmakers complained that the sole forensic laboratory in the province lacked critical facilities due to which all DNA samples collected in child abuse cases have to be sent to Lahore for examination. This meant that the procedure took weeks to complete, they added.
The lawmakers also pointed out that the K-P forensic lab was working under the K-P police department, unlike the Punjab forensic lab which is an autonomous institution.
Ghani said the people across the province are looking at the committee for cogent recommendations to curb the practice, and vowed that they will put in all efforts to root out the menace from society.
He suggested the establishment of model courts and police stations to deal with such cases. He assured that they will emphasise on it in their recommendations for the final draft.
The provincial assembly speaker added that they will also include clerics, officials from police, law and social welfare departments as well as psychiatrists and lawmakers in the legislation process.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 28th, 2020.