KARACHI: In Pakistan’s southern Sindh province, a staggering 88 percent of the accused in several rape cases since January 2021 have been acquitted, data shared by the Sindh prosecutor general’s office said on Wednesday.
The disclosure came to light as the court heard a case regarding the implementation of the Anti-Rape Trial and Investigation Act 2021. The Act aims to expedite justice process for rape survivors in Sindh. Advocate Tariq Mansoor petitioned the SHC to ensure the Act’s implementation, particularly for cases of gang rape and sexual abuse involving girls.
During the hearing, the office of the prosecutor general of Sindh shared that since January 2021, 88 percent of 999 suspects— 878 in total— have been acquitted in different rape cases in the southern province.
“This paints a very grim picture, even though we are aware that many such cases often go unreported,” Mansoor told Arab News. “What is even graver is that only 999 of these cases were disposed off with an acquittal rate of 88 percent.
“This clearly suggests that authorities have done little to implement anti-rape laws in their true spirit.”
As per the report, 457 rape cases in 2021 were resolved out of which suspects in 88 percent of the cases, numbering 407, were acquitted. In 2021, 328 rape cases were adjudicated, resulting in convictions for only 40 suspects while the remaining 288 were acquitted, bringing the conviction rate to a mere 12 percent.
Between January and July 2023, 183 rape suspects were acquitted as Sindh’s courts wrapped up 214 cases, resulting in an 86 percent acquittal rate.
Mansoor said 2,200 rape cases were reported across the province from January 2021 till present. These included cases that are still being heard by the courts and in which judgments are pending. He cited a report by a non-profit organization that stated that 771 rape cases in total were reported from January to April 2023, with 142 of them involving children.
He said the sole aim of his public interest litigation is to ensure the law is implemented to reduce rape crimes in the country.
The Anti-Rape Trial and Investigation Act 2021 mandates the establishment of 435 anti-rape crisis cells in each district of the province. It also calls for special courts with full-time judges, witness support through a legal aid fund, witness protection for survivors, and female officers in special investigation units in every district.
The federal government, Mansoor said, was required to provide funds, and Pakistan’s database authority was tasked to create a sex-offender registry linking criminal backgrounds to records as per the law.
“Only one anti-rape crisis cell exists, and though special courts are established, they use ad hoc judges,” he lamented. “There’s been no implementation of other requirements under the law. Through this petition, I urge their swift implementation.”
Mansoor noted the court expressed its “disappointment” over the federal law ministry, provincial secretary to the prime minister, and Sindh home department’s failure to submit written replies to the petition, despite being previously instructed to do so.
He said the two-member bench led by Acting Chief Justice Irfan Saadat Khan remarked that if authorities continued to neglect the court’s instructions, the provincial secretary to the prime minister, secretary of law and justice, and Sindh home department secretary would be required to appear in person before the high court.
Mansoor said the court was also informed that committees for the protection of witnesses and the rehabilitation of victims had not been established, even though the law mandating these committees was passed years ago.
