Child sexual abuse, pornography: KP Assembly passes bill for severe punishment

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Tuesday approved an adjournment motion that sought general discussion about the alleged visit of a Pakistani delegation to Israel.

However, the adjournment motion moved by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPA Abdul Salam Afridi triggered an uproar in the House as some of the opposition members objected to its text wherein the incumbent federal government was blamed for paving the way for recognition of Israel.

The text of the adjournment motion said the Israeli president had admitted meeting with a Pakistani delegation and termed it a good omen for the Jewish state. It said it would tarnish Pakistan’s image in the Muslim World and harm its principled stance on Palestine’s independence if the ‘imported government’ recognised Israel. After hue and cry by the opposition parties, Deputy Speaker Mehmood Jan asked for voting on the adjournment motion that was approved unanimously. However, the opposition walked out from the assembly when the Chair did allow them to explain their point of view.

The provincial assembly passed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Child Protection and Welfare (Amendment) Bill, 2022 that suggested severe punishment including death sentence and life imprisonment for the offenders involved in child sexual abuse, child pornography, child trafficking and other heinous offences related to the children’s rights. The Bill was passed at a time when the opposition members staged a walkout from the assembly and many amendments proposed by opposition members were not considered during their absence. The Bill suggested that whoever committed an offence of dealing with organs of a child may be punished with sentence of death or life imprisonment and shall also be liable to fine not less than Rs2 million. Similarly, child pornographers shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment, which shall not be less than 14 years and may be extended to 20 years and shall also be liable to a fine which may not be less than Rs2 million. For the offence of child trafficking, the Bill suggested a punishment of life imprisonment or a term of 25 years which should not be less than 14 years and also shall be liable to a fine which may extend to Rs5 million.

Under the new law, a register of sexual offenders would be established where the police in consultation with the commission shall register the names of convicts, referred by the court or by the prosecutors, who are involved in any sexual offence against the child. The person, whose name is entered or appears in the register of sexual offenders, shall not be employed by any organization relating to or dealing with children in the province. The assembly also passed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Antiquities (Amendment) Bill 2022. The session was adjourned till Friday (June 03).