Imran Khan has approved in principle a law allowing the chemical castration of convicted rapists.
This was a compromise, as the prime minister of Pakistan had said that he thought rapists should be hanged publicly, but wouldn’t actually implement it as it wouldn’t do much for the nation’s reputation or trading relationship with Europe.
The draft bill will also include increasing women’s roles in policing, fast-tracking rape cases, protection of witnesses and victims, and a data bank of rapists. According to Khan, the legislation will be transparent and strictly enforced so that rape survivors will be able to register complaints without fear, under the protection of the government.
Khan said, “The way there is first-degree, second-degree, third-degree murder, [rape] should be graded in the same way, and when there is first-degree [rape], castrate them. Operate on them and make them unable to do this.”