LHC orders federal govt to make system for implementing Anti-Rape Act

The Lahore High Court on Tuesday ordered the federal government to formulate a system within 30 days for the implementation of the Anti-rape Act 2021 and directed the trial court to decide on the bail of the accused within four months.

According to the 24News HD TV channel, LHC Justice Tariq Saleem Shaikh issued a 15-page decision on the bail application of the accused of raping the girl child.

Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh directed the Ministry of Law and Justice to establish a special committee within 30 days that should prepare proposals and send them to the ministry within two months.

In the 15-page-long judgment, LHC Justice Tariq Saleem Shaikh called this decision a judicial precedent

In the judgment, Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh has ordered the Ministry of Law and Justice to make rules under Section 19 of the Anti-Rape Act.

He ordered the federal and Punjab governments to publicize the rights given to victims of rape as well as the courts should also write the abbreviation of the name of the rape victim instead of writing the full name of the victim in their judgments.

The LHC judge said in his judgment that though the President of Pakistan approved the Anti-Rape Act on 1st December 2021 but it is regrettable that the Ministry of Law took several months to issue notification of the establishment of the committee and special courts in this regard.

Justice Tariq Saleem Shiekh also said in his written judgment that the Prime Minister has not established a fund for the purposes of this Act.

The LHC judge said in his judgment that rape victims often do not register cases, hence the Parliament passed the Anti-Rape Act in 2021.

In the judgment, the LHC judge also directed the print media, electronic media, and vloggers to comply with the restrictions laid down in the law.