ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan says rapists should be handed down the most severe punishments to curb rising sexual violence in the country, such as either hanging them publicly or chemically castrating them. The premier expressed the views during an interview with private TV channel on Monday, in response to a question about the motorway gang-rape case that caused an outpouring of anger across the country and brought sexual violence against women into national focus.
“They (rapists) should be given exemplary punishments. In my opinion, they should be hanged at the chowk (piazza),” he said, adding that this punishment should be reserved for rapists and those who abuse children.
“Unforunately, when we had the discussion, [we were] told it would not be internationally acceptable,” he said of public hangings. “They said the GSP-Plus trade status given to us by the European Union will be affected.”
He said another option was to “chemically or surgically castrate” rapists, according to the degree of the crime, “as is done by many countries”. Prime Minister Imran noted that the primary suspect in the motorway rape, Abid Ali, was previously involved in a gang-rape in 2013 as well.–Agencies
