The Ministry of Law and Justice formed a 40-person special committee as per the requirement of Section 15 of the Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Act 2021, on Tuesday. Parliamentary Secretary for Law Barrister Maleeka Ali Bukhari was appointed the chairperson of the committee.
Section 15 gives the law ministry authority to set such committees and its members usually function pro bono or on an honoury basis.
It is well within the committee's rights to approach any federal or provincial ministry, department, office, or authority to ensure that rape laws are implemented. The committee can also approach relevant authorities to initiate diciplinary action against those disregarding its directives.
According to Dawn.com, the committee includes retired Justice Nasira Iqbal, Barrister Ambreen Abbasi (consultant and representative of the law ministry), JR Sultan (section officer of the law ministry), Amna Anwar Siddiqui (the committee’s secretary), representatives of the chief secretaries of the four provinces as well as Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir, director general of the Legal Aid and Justice Authority, a representative of the National Database and Regist¬ration Authority (Nadra), Maria Taimur and Amna Baiq (PSP officers), Fauzia Viqar (senior policy and gender adviser), anchorpersons Maria Memon, Fareeha Idris and Alina Shigri, Barrister Muhammad Ahmad Pansota, Barrister Ambreen Qureshi, Barrister Taimur Malik, Barrister Hammad Raza Sultan, Sharafat Ali Chaudhry, GDP executive director Valerie Khan, trauma specialist Dr Khadija, additional police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed, Nida Aly, Nida Usman, Abuzar Salman Khan Niazi, Mehwish Muhib Kakakhel, Muhammad Ali Nekokara, Barrister Syeda Jugnoo Kazmi, Legal Aid Society director Maliha Zia, Punjab Women Protection Authority chairperson Fatima Asif, MPAs Sidra Imran and Sumaira Shams, Child Protection and Welfare Bureau chairperson Sarah Ahmad, founder and CEO of Beti Ramma Shahid Cheema and forensic expert Dr Ayesha Sarwar.
The recently passed rape act seeks to establish special courts and use of modern devices during the investigation and trial of rape cases.
