Pakistan to establish sex offenders’ database: PTI senator

Faisal Javed Khan says new legislation needed to give harshest punishment to predators

ISLAMABAD:

The PTI led federal government is planning to establish a national database for sex offenders to curb incidents of rape and sexual assault. "A national database of rapists and sex offenders is going to be set up," said Senator Faisal Javed Khan while talking to reporters on Wednesday.

A sex offender database or registry is a system in various countries designed to allow authorities to keep track of the activities of sex offenders, including those who have completed their criminal sentences.

In some jurisdictions, registration is accompanied by residential address notification requirements. In many jurisdictions, registered sex offenders are subject to additional restrictions, including on housing.

"Those who abuse children and women will be punished severely. Prime Minister Imran Khan has also made it clear that no concessions should be made to such criminals," the senator added.

A number of government functionaries including Prime Minister Imran Khan and Faisal Javed Khan had called for awarding harsher punishments to rapists following last week’s gang-rape of a mother in front of her children after her car ran out of fuel at the Lahore-Sialkot motorway.

In a TV interview, the premier on Monday said he personally believed pedophiles and rapists must be hanged publicly but such types of punishments might have “international repercussions”.

“The European Union’s GSP status for trade with Pakistan will be affected by public hangings. Hence, I think chemical castration must be conducted on those criminals," PM said.

The senator said the government is going to introduce new legislation to give the harshest punishment to predators and sexual abusers and to keep identities of rape survivors secret.

"Such criminals often blackmail the victims. We need to make an example of sexual abusers and child rapists and there is a need to debate on laws of public execution," he said,

He also criticized the PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif whose comment on the Lahore motorway gang-rape during a National Assembly speech a day earlier was described by a section of people as insensitive.

“Shehbaz Sharif must step down [from his position as opposition leader],” he said.

Addressing the lower house, Shehbaz reportedly said: "Since this incident took place at the Sialkot motorway, I think it won't be inappropriate to say that this motorway was also built under [former premier] Nawaz Sharif's supervision by the PML-N."

Shehbaz had later taken to micro-blogging site Twitter to apologize for his “insensitive” comment.

"Couldn’t properly contextualize my comment during NA speech and it came across as insensitive. I didn’t mean it that way and am sincerely sorry for it. I’m devastated like all of you on this unfortunate incident. Hope government now provides security on Sialkot motorway for safety of citizens," he added.

“The PML-N lawmakers in the house were banging the desks when Shehbaz made this comment,” PTI senator said. “The PML-N president shouldn’t be let off the hook so easily just because he apologized for his statement,” he added.