A Senate subcommittee in Pakistan has approved a bill proposing stricter punishments for rape, aiming to strengthen deterrents against sexual violence in the country. The legislation, which includes provisions for a minimum of 25 years’ imprisonment and a fine of Rs1 million, also presents the possibility of the death penalty for those convicted of rape. The proposal was reviewed during a session of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior’s subcommittee, chaired by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri, at Parliament House on Tuesday.
The bill, introduced by Senator Mohsin Aziz, seeks to amend the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to increase penalties for sexual assault. One of the key proposals is for convicted rapists to face life imprisonment, effectively serving a sentence until death. The committee discussed these amendments as necessary steps to combat sexual violence in Pakistan and to ensure justice for victims.
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However, the bill faced opposition from the Islamabad Capital Territory and the Sindh government. Authorities in Sindh have even referred to the proposed punishments as “absurd.” Despite this, Chairperson Zehri staunchly supported the changes, emphasizing that rapists must face severe consequences to set a clear example. She criticized the system, noting that while real criminals often go unpunished, innocent people are sometimes jailed for financial motives.
The committee was also briefed by the Special Secretary for the Interior, who highlighted that while the death penalty for rape already exists in law, its implementation has been limited due to international obligations, including those tied to Pakistan’s Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) status with the European Union.
