New bill proposes death for acid attacks

LAHORE:Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is introducing “The Acid and Burn Crime Bill 2019” to criminalise acid and burn related violence proposing death penalty or rigorous imprisonment for life on those who intentionally carry out acid and burn attacks.

According to a press release issued Tuesday, the PML-N MPA Hina Pervez Butt has prepared the Bill that will be submitted in Punjab Assembly in coming few days. The PA session is commencing from tomorrow (Thursday).

Under this Bill, if such an act has resulted into the death of any person the attacker shall be punished to death or imprisonment for life and whosoever intentionally commits acid and burn attack shall be punished with death row or rigorous imprisonment for life.

It has been proposed in the Bill that the investigations will be carried out not below the rank of inspector/SHO within 14 days of being informed or registration of FIR. However, the court will allow time but not exceeding 14 days, provided reasonable grounds exist for such extension. Total time for investigation into acid or burn attacks shall not exceed 60 days, where it does such failure may be used in performance assessment of the presiding judge of the officer in charge of investigation as the case may be.

Section 10 of the Bill says those who will attempt to commit the offence of acid attack or burn attack shall be punished with imprisonment of either description which may extended to seven years but shall not be less than three years and also with fine not exceeding Rs100,000.

Hina Pervez Butt said that women caucus was concerned about the acid throwing and burn crimes which were increasing year by year. Hundreds of women and children and few men fall victim to this crime.

dengue: Provincial Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Local Government Muhammad Basharat Raja has directed the departments concerned to take measures for curbing dengue epidemic.

He directed the officers of local government, community development and Lahore Waste Management Company to cooperate with the health department for making its ongoing anti-dengue campaign a success.

He said dengue surveillance and larvae-ciding activities should be accelerated in those areas where dengue-larvae were found. He emphasised the performance of departments concerned should be visible among the general public and no laxity would be tolerated in this regard.