President signs Zainab Alert Bill into law

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi Thursday signed the Zainab Alert, Response and Recovery Bill, 2020 into a law, providing for a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a fine of Rs1 million on the perpetrators of child abuse.

“I have just signed the Zainab Alert Bill into a law. An excellent law for rapid response & recovery in cases of child kidnappings,” the president said on Twitter after signing the bill, following its passage by the National Assembly and the Senate. Under the new law, toll-free helplines would be established besides laying down a framework for quick police and admin response.

It will use and improveupon technology to trace criminals, he added. Moreover, a Zainab Alert, Response and Recovery Agency (ZARRA) would be established to issue an alert for a missing child. It would work closely with the helpline 1099 or such other relevant helplines.

The agency will coordinate with all relevant federal and provincial authorities and law enforcement agencies, and maintain an online database of all children reported missing or abducted with their current status.