Pakistan Parliament Gives Nod To Chemical Castration Of Habitual Sex Offenders

In Pakistan, sex offenders with multiple cases could face chemical castration after the new legislation passed by the country's Parliament. It aims to speed up convictions and impose stricter sentences.

The new bill comes after the recent protests against the rise in number cases of crime against women and children in the country. There have been many reports of brutal rape cases recently and the public demanded effective curbs to the crime.

Last year, the President of Pakistan Arif Alvi had approved a new anti-rape ordinance that was also cleared by the Pakistan cabinet. The bill called for chemical castration of rapists with the consent of the convicts and the setting up special courts for speedy justice.

The joint session of the country's parliament passed the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2021 along with 33 other bills on Wednesday. The bills seeks to amend the Pakistan Penal Code of 1860 and the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, as reported by the Dawn.

According to the said bill, "Chemical castration is a process duly notified by rules framed by the prime minister, whereby a person is rendered incapable of performing sexual intercourse for any period of his life, as may be determined by the court through administration of drugs which shall be conducted through a notified medical board."

Senator Mushtaq Ahmed of Jamaat-i-Islami has protested over the bill and called it un-Islami and against the Sharia law. As per reports, he said a rapist should be hanged publicly but there is no mention of castration in Sharia.

The procedure of chemical castration is usage of drugs to reduce sexual activity of individuals. Countries such as Poland, South Korea, some states of United States of America and the Czech Republic has the procedure as a legal form of punishment, as per reports. In Pakistan, reportedly fewer than four per cent of sexual assault or rape case accused get convicted.

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