Pakistan to introduce legislation to curb child abuse, rape

Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced that his government will soon introduce a three-tier legislation providing for the registration of sex offenders, exemplary punishment for rape and child abuse and effective policing.

Khan made the announcement while addressing a joint sitting of Parliament after the passage of a number of Financial Action Task Force-related bills, reports Dawn news. "Such incidents ruin the lives of victims and their families also have to suffer," he said referring to the September 9 gang-rape on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway.

He pointed out that the main suspect in the case was a 'history-sheeter', explaining that global data indicated that such criminals were repeat offenders and therefore maintaining their data was important. Khan said the legislation would also contain provisions for registration of sex offenders and effective policing.

He admitted that only a very small percentage of such cases were reported to police in the country. Even after the arrest of offenders in rape and child abuse cases, their conviction was not easy in absence of proper prosecution and concrete evidence, he said, adding that for this reason, the bill would also provide for witness protection.

As per the latest reports, the two rapists named Abid Ali and Waqar ul Hasan have been identified through geo-fencing and DNA testing. Hasan has been arrested and a manhunt is underway to track down Ali.