ISLAMABAD: It’s no surprise the Pakistani street wants faster, harsher justice for sexual crimes following the gang-rape of a woman on a highway last week that has caused uproar in the South Asian nation but rights advocates say the government should focus on strengthening the criminal justice system to ensure ‘certainty of punishment’ instead of making calls for public hangings and chemical castrations.
Last week, a mother of two was driving along a major highway near Lahore when her car ran out of fuel. As she waited for help along the road, at least two men arrived, dragged the woman out of her car and raped her at gunpoint, in front of her children.
In an interview aired on Monday, Prime Minister Imran Khan said he believed the culprits should be hanged publicly or chemically castrated.
Rights advocates and lawyers have cried foul at the suggestion, saying Pakistan needs better policing and prosecutions, not new laws or punishments that will trample fundamental rights in the government’s rush to be in tune with popular rage.
“In most countries that allow chemical castrations, these are only carried out in a regulated manner against perpetrators of child sexual abuse, in consultation with doctors and psychologists,” Reema Omer, legal adviser South Asia for International Commission of Jurists, told Arab News.
She said that the punishment is “often voluntary and a condition for such offenders to get parole.”
“Their objective is rehabilitation and preventing repeat offenses,” the lawyer said. “They are not viewed as exemplary punishment of all kinds of sexual offenses, which appears to be what the prime minister is considering for Pakistan.”
Rape is a criminal offense in Pakistan, with punishment ranging from up to 25 years in prison to the death penalty. No official data is available for the number of rape cases in the country, though experts estimate they are in the thousands each year.
In Pakistan, the conviction rate in rape cases is under three percent, according to the Karachi-based War Against Rape (WAR).
Omer said that every time a rape grabbed headlines in Pakistan, there was public outrage and an ‘erroneous focus’ on enhancing the sentence: “Even the most severe penalty won’t be a deterrent for such crimes if perpetrators know there is less than five percent chance they will be convicted,” she said.
If Pakistan enacts laws to make chemical castration of sexual abusers legal, it will join a small group of nations that allow such a punishment, including Indonesia, Poland, Russia, and Estonia, as well as some states in the United States. In 2011, South Korea became the first Asian country to use chemical castration as a punishment.
The procedure involves using a drug to reduce testosterone levels and affect the sex drive.
Sarah Zaman, former director at War Against Rape, said rape was prevalent in Pakistan because of “impunity” and systematic flaws in the criminal justice system that helped culprits escape accountable.
“We need to defeat the culture in our society that encourages such crimes instead of raising the punishments,” she told Arab News, adding that the government need to work on increasing conviction rates in rape cases.
“It’s ignorant, short-sighted and non-serious,” Zaman said when asked about the PM’s suggestion that rapists be chemically castrated. “Also, this won’t help reduce impunity to the criminals.”
Dr. Qibla Ayaz, chairman of the Council of Islamic Ideology, a body that advices the government on the compatibility of laws with Islam, said the council had recommended that the government establish special courts that could hear cases of heinous crimes like rape.
“Sufficient laws and strict punishments regarding rape already exist, and we just need to ensure their implementation to deter the crime,” he told Arab News.
Maliha Zia Lari, a human rights activist and lawyer, also suggested that the government focus on “certainty of the punishment” through cogent reforms in the criminal justice system.
“We need to understand that rape is a power offense and not a lust crime,” she said. “We need to change the patriarchal mindset to curb sexual violence against women.”
Rights advocates wary as Pakistan suggests public executions, chemical castration after gang-rape
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Rights advocates wary as Pakistan suggests public executions, chemical castration after gang-rape
- Activists and legal experts urge government to strengthen criminal justice system, ensure ‘certainty of punishment’ rather than opt for stopgap solutions
- Council of Islamic Ideology says adequate laws and punishments regarding rape already exist and need to be implemented properly
Bodies of three Pakistani climbers retrieved after nine years from Sarwali Peak in Azad Kashmir
- The missing climbers, Imran Junaidi, Usman Khalid, and Khurram Shehzad, embarked on a journey to summit Sarwali Peak in Neelum district in August 2015
- The bodies of the missing climbers were spotted by two trekkers last month, after which a mission involving two dozen volunteers was launched on Sept. 3
KHAPLU: A team of Pakistani climbers and porters has retrieved bodies of three local mountaineers who had gone missing on 6,326-meter Sarwali Peak in Azad Kashmir nine years ago, an official and volunteers said on Saturday.
Sarwali Peak, also known as Dabbar Peak, in Azad Kashmir’s Neelum District is believed to be one of the few unconquered mountain peaks in the region, with no confirmed ascent till date.
The missing climbers, Imran Junaidi, Usman Khalid and Khurram Shehzad, had embarked on a journey to summit the Peak in August 2015, but went missing while attempting a push on the right saddle of the mountain.
A comprehensive search operation was launched on September 7, 2015 to locate the missing climbers, but no trace of them could be found.
“The bodies of all three missing climbers were spotted last month by two trekkers,” Akhtar Ayoub, in-charge of the Azad Kashmir State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) in Neelum district, told Arab News.
“A special rescue team was formed to retrieve the bodies and today, their bodies and remains were retrieved from the advance base camp side.”
Two dozen volunteers, including climbers, rescuers and porters, took part in the mission and brought down the bodies from a height of 16,000 feet, according to the official. The team departed on the mission on Sept. 3 and retrieved the bodies today, Saturday.
“We found the bodies near the advance base camp at the right saddle of the mountain,” Imran Arif, a member of the recovery team, told Arab News, adding that all three had been identified.
Arif said he and his fellow had spotted the bodies while trekking on the mountain on August 12.
“We preserved the bodies and came back to Kel Valley. Four days ago, we went for the rescue mission and today their dead bodies have been shifted to a hospital of Kel Valley,” he said.
“State Disaster Management Authority, district administration, Rescue 1122 and Alpine Club of Pakistan played a good role in this mission.”
Ikram Junaidi, bother of late climber Imran Junaidi, told Arab News they would now find a final resting place for his brother.
“Many attempts were made to find them in the past. But after nine years, we got news about the retrieval of dead bodies. Being a brother and a Muslim, it was our dream to offer funeral prayers for him. Now we will get a chance,” he said. “What matters is the quality of life instead of quantity. My brother went for expeditions on unclimbed peaks.”
Ikram said his mother had lost all hopes of finding Junaidi’s body, but she would now find solace in the fact that her son’s body had finally been recovered.
Pakistan says head coach to scout for cricketing talent in domestic event after dismal performances
- Pakistan have been reeling after their first-ever Test series loss to Bangladesh this month, the latest in a string of poor performances
- The defeat came hard on the heels of chastening losses against Afghanistan and United States in the ODI and T20 World Cups respectively
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s head coach Gary Kirsten will be scouting for cricketing talent in the upcoming Champions Cup, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Saturday, following a series of dismal performances by the national side.
Pakistan have been left reeling after their first-ever Test series loss to Bangladesh this month, the latest in a string of poor performances which have seen the game hit rock bottom.
The cricket-mad nation was left in despair after losing the second Test in Rawalpindi by six wickets on Tuesday as Bangladesh swept the series 2-0. It was the 10th winless home Test in a row for former powerhouses Pakistan.
However, the PCB has set its sights on the inaugural Champions One-Day Cup, due to take place at Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad from September 12 to 29, to find new cricketing talent in the country.
“Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten will be arriving on 12 September to witness the entire Champions One-Day Cup and it will surely be exciting for him to work in the domestic circuit in order to look into the young talent with an eye on the upcoming white-ball assignments in Australia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, followed by the home tri-national series and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025,” Nadeem Khan, a senior PCB official, was quoted as saying by the board.
“The Champions One-Day Cup will help us unearth future white-ball prospects for the Pakistan’s white-ball teams, also marking the start of the preparation for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Having the Champions Cup in September will allow us to give an extended opportunity to the top performers of this tournament in International cricket before the mega-event commences home.”
Team mentors of the five sides in the tournament include Misbah-ul-Haq (Wolves), Saqlain Mushtaq (Panthers), Sarfaraz Ahmed (Dolphins), Shoaib Malik (Stallions) and Waqar Younis (Lions). The PCB also announced captains and provisional squads on Friday.
The tournament featuring top players from across the country will be a 50-over competition played on a single-league format. All matches will start at 3pm, except for the match between Lions and Panthers on September 16, which will begin at 9:30am.
Pakistan’s loss to Bangladesh came hard on the heels of chastening losses against Afghanistan and the USA in the ODI and T20 World Cups respectively.
Pakistan also have a dismal record in Tests at home in the past three years — six defeats and four draws, including England’s first-ever 3-0 series sweep there in 2022.
Ominously, in-form England are Pakistan’s next visitors and will play three Tests beginning in Multan on October 7.
Pakistan are not faring any better away from home and lost all three Tests in Australia earlier this year — their sixth successive whitewash there since 1999.
Analysts say frequent changes at the top of the PCB, which has had five chairmen in the past three years, have impeded progress. There have also been constant switches of captains and coaching staff while the domestic system of tournaments has had countless overhauls.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi himself called for “surgery in the system” after the T20 World Cup exit.
“We need to fix our problems,” he said last month. “But when we look at how to resolve them, we don’t have any solid data or player pool which we can draw from.”
Ex-skipper Wasim Akram echoed Naqvi’s analysis.
“The quality of our cricket has gone down with no grassroots activity, so we do not have proper back-ups,” he said recently. “We have a lot to work on.”
Pakistan Navy ships visit UAE to participate in Nasl Al Bahr exercise
- The ships were received by UAE Navy officials and Pakistan’s defense attaché upon arrival at Mina Zayed Port in Abu Dhabi
- The exercise aims to enhance interoperability, operational readiness and consolidate existing relations between both navies
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Navy Ships (PNS) Shamsheer and Haibat arrived at Mina Zayed Port in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to participate in the Nasl Al Bahr naval exercise, Pakistan Navy said on Saturday.
Upon arrival at the port in Abu Dhabi, Pakistan Navy ships were received by senior officials of the UAE Navy and Pakistan’s defense attaché, according to the Directorate General Public Relations (DGPR) of Pakistan Navy.
Mission commander of Pakistan Navy, Commodore Shahid Wasif, along with commanding officers of PNS Shamsheer and Haibat called on Brig. Abdullah Faraj Al Muhairi, deputy commander of the UAE Navy.
During the interactions, matters of mutual interests were discussed and enhancement of bilateral ties in all spheres was reaffirmed. In addition, modalities for the conduct of the exercise were also deliberated upon with the host navy.
“After the port call, PNS SHAMSHEER & PNS HAIBAT will participate in Ex NASL AL BAHR,” the DGPR said in a statement. “The exercise is aimed to enhance interoperability, display operational readiness and consolidate existing strong bilateral relations between the two navies.”
During the port stay, UAE’s Assistant Minister for Security and Maritime Affairs Salem Saeed Al-Jabri, Pakistan’s ambassador to the UAE Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, senior leadership of the UAE armed forces and notables from the Pakistani community also visited the ships.
Students and Pakistani community displayed excitement during their visit, while officers and men of both navies also conducted cross visit of naval units and participated in joint sports activities.
The UAE is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States. It is also home to more than a million Pakistani expatriates and the second-largest source of remittances to Pakistan after Saudi Arabia.
Pakistan embassy in Riyadh hosts reception to mark Defense Day
- Pakistan celebrates annual Defense Day on Sept. 6 to honor soldiers who fought 1965 war against India
- The reception was attended by Saudi dignitaries as well as officials from Diplomatic, Military Corps
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’ embassy in Saudi Arabia has held a reception in Riyadh to mark the country’s Defense Day, the embassy said on Saturday.
The South Asian country celebrates its Defense Day each year on September 6 to honor the soldiers who fought against India in the 1965 war.
“Dignitaries from Saudi Arabia and friends from Diplomatic and Military Corps widely attended the event,” the Pakistani embassy in Riyadh said on X.
Pakistan on Friday inducted two new warships, Babur and Hunain, into its naval fleet, as the nation marked its Defense Day.
Hunain is a multipurpose medium-sized offshore patrol vessel, equipped with state-of-the-art electronic warfare, anti-ship and anti-air warfare weapons, sensors, and self-protection and terminal defense system. The Babur-class corvette is a subclass of the Turkish MILGEM project. The corvette class is heavier and larger than the Turkish Ada-class corvette and also equipped with vertical launch systems.
Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf termed the induction of these ships a “major milestone in capacity building of PN [Pakistan Navy] Fleet,” Pakistan Navy said in a statement.
On Thursday, Pakistan’s Embassy in Abu Dhabi hosted a reception to mark Defense Day aboard Pakistan Navy Ship Shamsheer at the Cruise Terminal, Mina Zayed Port, the mission said in a statement.
Pakistan’s envoy to the UAE, Ambassador Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, along with Commodore Shahid Wasif SI (M), Mission Commander of the Pakistan Navy, welcomed chief guest General Salem Saeed Al Jabri, UAE’s Assistant Foreign Minister for Military and Security Affairs, and Brig. Abdullah Al Mohairbi, Deputy Commander of the UAE Navy, at the reception, which was attended by members of the diplomatic corps and officials of the UAE government.
Monsoon death toll nears 350 as more rains lash parts of Pakistan
- The South Asian country has seen erratic weather changes blamed on climate change
- Pakistan this year recorded its ‘wettest April since 1961,’ with 59.3 millimeters of rainfall
ISLAMABAD: The death toll from rain-related incidents in Pakistan has jumped to 347 since the beginning of monsoon season in July, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Friday, adding another 648 people were wounded in disasters.
Monsoon rains are crucial for Pakistan’s agrarian economy, providing essential water for crops and replenishing water reservoirs.
However, the country has lately been experiencing increasingly erratic weather patterns, including harsh rains, heatwaves, droughts and floods.
“Three hundred and forty-seven people, including 54 females and 175 children, have lost their lives in monsoon rains [since July 1],” the NDMA said. “Six hundred and forty-eight people, including 153 females and 252 children, were also injured.”
Monsoon downpours have completely destroyed 5,703 homes, while 31,803 houses were partially damaged since July 1, according to the authority.
More showers lashed Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore and several other cities in Pakistan late Friday.
Scientists have blamed the erratic weather changes in Pakistan on climate change. This year, the South Asian country recorded its “wettest April since 1961,” with 59.3 millimeters of rainfall, while some areas of the country faced deadly heatwaves in May and June.
In 2022, unusually heavy rains triggered floods in many parts of the country, killing over 1,700 people, inflicting economic losses of around $30 billion, and affecting at least 30 million people.
