ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's new anti-rape ordinance has been approved by President Dr Arif Alvi to fast-track cases of sexual violence against women and children.
The Anti-rape Ordinance 2020 entails making special courts to expedite rape cases in Pakistan.
Courts are to wrap up cases within four months, according to the ordinance.
Read more: Legal experts term anti-rape laws a gimmick
In a series of tweets on Tuesday, President Alvi gave details about the ordinance.
It includes anti-rape crisis cells to conduct medico-legal examinations within six hours of a rape and a NADRA database to identify sex offenders.
The ordinance prohibits revealing the identity of a rape victim or survivor and has made it a punishable offence
The legal fraternity has termed the proposed laws against rape and sexual abuse of women and children a gimmick and said mere legislation will not solve the problem unless policing is improved and the prosecution is properly trained.
They said there were sufficient laws available to tackle heinous crimes like rape, gang-rape and child sexual abuse but these were not implemented.
"These are gimmicks and will not solve the problem,” said Rana Waqar, former additional attorney general.
“The laws in other countries are less harsh but the crime is under control and convenient crime rate 100 percent, so the problem is not with the laws," he said.
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