CII expresses concerns regarding sexual harassment incidents reported from seminaries, universities and institutes of Islamic education.

Decides to write letters to Wifaq Ul Madaris, HEC, federal and provincial education departments to hold a national educational conference.

Approves Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, 2020, and the Islamabad Compulsory Teaching of the Arabic Language Bill, 2020.

ISLAMABAD: The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has declared the castration of rape convicts un-Islamic, said a notification issued by the body on Wednesday.

The notification was issued after a two-day session of the CII, which also expressed concerns regarding incidents of sexual harassment reported from seminaries, universities, and institutes of Islamic education.

It stated that the CII has decided to write letters to Wifaq Ul Madaris, the federation of Islamic seminaries in Pakistan, Higher Education Commission, and federal and provincial education departments, suggesting to hold a national educational conference.

Furthermore, the CII has approved the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, 2020, and The Islamabad Compulsory Teaching of the Arabic Language Bill, 2020.

The council remarked that making efforts to teach Arabic as a language is a religious and constitutional requirement.

It also suggested the inclusion of Persian, Turkish, and Chinese as languages in the curriculum and setting up Quranic Gardens in the vacant areas of the seminaries and mosques.

“The establishment of the Rehmatul-lil-Aalameen Authority is a commendable effort,” it remarked.

Law for chemical castration of rapists Okayed by PM Imran Khan

Last year in November, Prime Minister Imran Khan had approved, in principle, a law for the chemical castration of rapists.

The decision was made during a federal cabinet meeting wherein the law ministry presented a draft of the anti-rape ordinance. The draft included increasing women’s role in policing, fast-tracking rape cases and witness protection.

Stressing that this was a serious matter, PM Imran Khan had said no delay will be tolerated. “We need to ensure a safe environment for our citizens.”

The premier had said the legislation will be clear and transparent with strict enforcement. He had added rape survivors will be able to register complaints without fear, adding that the government will protect their identity.

The federal cabinet has, in principle, approved strict severe punishment for rape convicts. 

Addressing a post-cabinet press briefing, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz said after giving in-principle approval to the anti-rape ordinance, the cabinet asked the Law Division and other departments concerned to finalize the draft at the earliest by removing all legal lacunae that could be exploited by offenders.

He said PM Imran Khan, after noting with grave concern the recent rape incident of a mother and her daughter in Sindh, asked Law Minister Farogh Naseem to prepare a comprehensive ordinance, encompassing fast-track trial of the accused, a comprehensive definition of rape, inclusion of new offences and strict punishments for the convicted rapists.

The minister said as the ordinance is of great importance and involves punitive actions against the rapists, it was forwarded to the Law Division for further improvement.

He expressed the hope that the initiative would significantly reduce the number of rape incidents in the country by creating effective deterrence against the offence in society.

Rape laws in Pakistan

There has been much debate around rape laws in Pakistan. The incident of Kasur’s Zainab and more recently the motorway gang-rape in Lahore sparked a debate on the severity of punishment to prevent sexual assaults.

Speaking at a joint sitting of the Parliament after a passage of bills pertaining to the FATF, PM Imran Khan had said that the government will soon introduce three-tier legislation including registration of sex offenders, exemplary punishment for rape and child abuse and effective policing.

In an interview, PM Imran Khan had suggested public hanging and chemically castrating the convicts to curb rising sexual violence in the country.

Source:  Geo News