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National Assembly Approves Bill for Child Courts in Abuse Cases
The National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior has approved a bill to establish child courts for child abuse cases, aiming for quicker justice and better support for victims.
ND
by News Desk
2025-01-06
National Assembly Approves Bill for Child Courts in Abuse Cases

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior has unanimously approved a landmark bill to establish dedicated child courts for cases of child abuse, including rape. Chaired by Chairman Khurram Nawaz, the committee discussed the bill presented by PML-N member Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar, which aims to provide a more specialized and supportive legal process for young victims of serious crimes.

Under the bill, child courts will specifically handle cases involving child victims of rape. One of the significant provisions of the bill is that the statements of child victims will be taken in a conducive and supportive environment, with a psychologist present to assist the child during the process. This initiative is designed to reduce the trauma children experience while testifying in court.

Additionally, the bill stipulates that decisions in rape cases involving children must be made within six months, speeding up the justice process. Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar highlighted that this will help ensure timely justice for victims and reduce the emotional toll of prolonged legal proceedings.

During the meeting, PTI member Zartaj Gul voiced concerns about the existing punishments for perpetrators of rape, calling them inadequate. She stressed the need for stronger penalties to effectively deter sexual violence against children.

The committee also discussed another bill related to the enforcement of court decisions granting women their inheritance rights. Under this bill, a penalty of up to six months' imprisonment could be imposed on individuals who fail to implement a court decision regarding a woman’s inheritance rights within 120 days. However, government representatives objected to the inclusion of this penalty in civil law, stating that civil laws already have provisions to address non-implementation and could be further strengthened to safeguard women’s inheritance rights.

The approval of the child courts bill marks a significant step forward in strengthening the legal framework for child protection in Pakistan. It ensures that cases of child abuse will be handled with the seriousness and sensitivity they deserve, offering a glimmer of hope for the country's vulnerable children.
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NationalAssembly

PakistanLaw

ChildAbuse

JusticeForChildren

WomenRights
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