Senate mulls increasing minimum imprisonment for rapists to 25 years

Senate standing committee for human rights is planning to amend the law of rape by increasing the minimum imprisonment of the culprits from the current 10 years.

The bill was proposed in a meeting of the Senate standing committee chaired by Faisal Saleem. Members decided that a sub-committee will be formed to analyse the bill, demanding an extension in the punishment period for rape miscreants. 

The committee will oversee the possibilities of amending the law by increasing the punishment period. 

Article 376 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) allows 10-year minimum imprisonment for whoever committed the rape either with or without the consent of the victim.

“Whoever commits rape shall be punished with death or imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than ten years or more, than twenty-five years and shall also be liable to fine,” read Article 376-A of PPC.

Moreover, “when rape is committed by two or more persons in furtherance of the common intention of all, each of such persons shall be punished with death or imprisonment for life,” according to the sub-section of the same article. 

“Punishment period related to rape should be increased, and it should be more harsh than existing punishment,” said Senator Moshin Aziz.

He demanded, “The culprits should remain in jail until he is alive.”

Senator Samina Zehri also expressed frustration over the current law to deal with such cases. 

Our 50-year-old laws against rape culprits need to be upodated, and the punishment period should be extended to 25 years, she said.

Senator Shahadat Awan expressed reservations over keeping a person in jail until his death, but maintained that rape is a serious crime, and its punishment should be as severe as possible.

The Special Secretary Law said that the death penalty for raping an innocent child, mentally disabled or disabled person is already in the law.

Following the committee report, the law will be tabled in the Senate and then the National Assembly.