Rape in Pakistan

Punishment for rape in Pakistan under the Pakistani laws is either death penalty or imprisonment of between ten and twenty-five years. For cases related to gang rape, the punishment is either death penalty or life imprisonment.^[1] DNA test and other scientific evidence are used in prosecuting rape cases in Pakistan.^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]

Rape in Pakistan came to international attention after the politically sanctioned rape of Mukhtaran Bibi.^[6]^[7] The group War Against Rape (WAR) has documented the severity of rape in Pakistan, and the police indifference to it.^[8] According to Women's Studies professor Shahla Haeri, rape in Pakistan is "often institutionalized and has the tacit and at times the explicit approval of the state".^[9]^[10] According to late lawyer Asma Jahangir, who was a co-founder of the women's rights group Women's Action Forum, up to 72% of women in custody in Pakistan are physically or sexually abused.^[11]

Approximately 4,326 cases of rape were reported in the year 2018 followed by 4,377 rape cases in 2019, 3,887 cases in 2020 and 1,866 cases in 2021. The Human Rights Ministry of Pakistan stated that the reports of rape, violence and workplace harassment have gradually and consecutively lowered in the years 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 respectively.^[12] Critics say that the conviction rate in the country is low as rape cases in Pakistan take years to prosecute. Rampant corruption in the lower judiciary and political influence can also help the rapist escape punishment.^[13]

In 2019, Government of Pakistan established more than 1,000 special courts across the country. These special courts would focus only on addressing the issues related to violence against women in Pakistan. The establishment of special courts were hailed by many human right organizations.^[14]

^ "Protection of Women (Criminal Laws Amendment) Act, 2006". pakistani.org. 1 December 2006. Archived from the original on 22 November 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
^ "Criminal Law (Amendment) (Offense of Rape) Act 2016". The Punjab Commission on Status of Women. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
^ Cite error: The named reference bbc_rape_bill was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference pakobserver was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference newindianexpress was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Laird was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference BBC 2005 Khan was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Karim p72 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ "Lahore gets first women-only auto-rickshaw to beat 'male pests'". DAWN.COM. Reuters. 10 April 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
^ Haeri, Shahla (2002). No Shame for the Sun: Lives of Professional Pakistani Women (1st ed.). Syracuse University Press. p. 163. ISBN 978-0815629603. institutionalized and has the tacit.
^ Goodwin, Jan (2002). Price of Honor: Muslim Women Lift the Veil of Silence on the Islamic World. Plume. p. 51. ISBN 978-0452283770.
^ https://www.google.com/s/dailytimes.com.pk/863318/over-14000-women-raped-in-four-years/amp/
^ "Pakistan Parliament Approves Chemical Castration of Rapists". VOA News. 17 November 2021.
^ "Pakistan to set up special courts to tackle violence against women". Reuters. 20 June 2019.

[pakistani.org-1] "Protection of Women (Criminal Laws Amendment) Act, 2006". pakistani.org. 1 December 2006. Archived from the original on 22 November 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2020.

[2016law-2] "Criminal Law (Amendment) (Offense of Rape) Act 2016". The Punjab Commission on Status of Women. Retrieved 4 August 2020.

[bbc_rape_bill-3] Cite error: The named reference bbc_rape_bill was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[pakobserver-4] Cite error: The named reference pakobserver was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[newindianexpress-5] Cite error: The named reference newindianexpress was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Laird-6] Cite error: The named reference Laird was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[BBC_2005_Khan-7] Cite error: The named reference BBC 2005 Khan was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Karim_p72-8] Cite error: The named reference Karim p72 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[9] "Lahore gets first women-only auto-rickshaw to beat 'male pests'". DAWN.COM. Reuters. 10 April 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2019.

[Haeri-10] Haeri, Shahla (2002). No Shame for the Sun: Lives of Professional Pakistani Women (1st ed.). Syracuse University Press. p. 163. ISBN 978-0815629603. institutionalized and has the tacit.

[Goodwin-11] Goodwin, Jan (2002). Price of Honor: Muslim Women Lift the Veil of Silence on the Islamic World. Plume. p. 51. ISBN 978-0452283770.

[12] ttps://www.google.com/s/dailytimes.com.pk/863318/over-14000-women-raped-in-four-years/amp/

[13] "Pakistan Parliament Approves Chemical Castration of Rapists". VOA News. 17 November 2021.

[reuter2019-14] "Pakistan to set up special courts to tackle violence against women". Reuters. 20 June 2019.

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