Child rape: Senate panel reiterates call for public hanging

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Interior on Monday discussed the heartbreaking incident of rape and murder of a three-year-old child in Abbottabad and recommended public hanging for people committing such heinous crimes.

The committee meeting chaired by Senator Rehman Malik also called for awarding seven-year-imprisonment and imposing Rs3.5 million fine on people found involved in child pornography.

Earlier, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Alam Khan Shinwari briefed the committee about the tragedy that took place in Tehsil Havelian of Abbottabad and said the police are working day and night to identify the murderer.
Malik laid stress on strict action against perpetrators of this heinous crime, adding that such individuals are not fit to be called humans. State Minister for Interior Shehryar Afridi was also of the view that a very strong recommendation must be made on this forum so that action is taken against such criminals.

He said it is important to send a strong message that parliament and the government are on the same page on this issue. He recommended that perpetrators of this crime must be hanged publicly.

The committee recommended that stakeholders must revisit their decision regarding public hanging and must ensure that such criminals must be publicly hanged. It was further recommended that trial on such cases must not take more than 90 days.

The chairman said he and the committee will be monitoring investigation of the tragedy and will follow the case till culprit of this heinous crime is not punished.

The committee also directed authorities to impose a complete ban on professional begging and child labour, initially in the federal capital.

Malik said traffic police must report all begging activity at traffic signals, emphasising that welfare institutions must be established where street children could be provided education and skills.

Afridi appreciated the committee’s move for elimination of begging and child labour across the country and assured full support in this regard. Malik said Ministry of Human Rights and Pakistan Baitul Maal (PBM) should coordinate with stakeholders for protection of street children.

“The Islamabad commissioner must constitute a committee comprising local residents to monitor implementation on decision of the committee to eliminate child labour and begging,” he added.

The meeting also discussed issue of delay in issuance of passports and IDs for the overseas Pakistanis. Malik said he received numerous complaints from overseas Pakistanis that they are facing difficulties in getting their passports and the National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOPs) on time.

He said data of the applicant is uploaded in foreign countries while processing and printing of passport takes place in Pakistan. This, he said, causes considerable delay in issuance of passports resulting in trouble for overseas Pakistanis.

He asked the ministry to look into feasibility of getting passports printed in respective embassies to save money and time of the applicants. The ministry was asked to provide a report in this regard.

Source: The Express Tribune