Pakistan assigns special courts for rape, sexual violence cases

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday assigned special courts to handle rape and sexual violence cases.
The country sees thousands of cases of sexual violence every year. In December, after mass protests over the gang rape of a woman whose car ran out of fuel, a presidential ordinance provided for the creation of special courts to expedite trials and case proceeding across the country.
“In pursuance of the power conferred by sub-section (3) of section 3 of the Anti-Rape (Investigation & Trial) Ordinance 2020, the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, in consultation with the Hon’ble Chief Justice of Pakistan has been pleased to designate all Courts of Session Judges throughout Pakistan as Special Court under the Ordinance,” the Ministry of Law said in a notice issued on Friday.
The presidential ordinance also provides for anti-rape cells to provide medical examinations within six hours of a complaint being made and creates a national sex offender registry.
“The ordinance will help expedite cases of sexual abuse against women and children. Special courts will be set up across the country to expedite trials and cases of rape suspects as soon as possible,” President Arif Alvi said on Twitter as he signed the ordinance on Dec. 15.
“A register of perpetrators of rape will be prepared at the national level. The ordinance prohibits the identification of rape victims and makes it a punishable offense,” he added.
Pakistan has been debating harsher punishments for sex offenses following public indignation over high-profile cases, including the September rape of a woman beside a major road who had been driving with her two children.
Two men were arrested in October and sentenced to death in March after being convicted in the case.