National Assembly passes Zainab Alert, Recovery and Response Bill 2019

• The bill has been approved exactly two years after the rape and murder of seven-year-old Zainab.

The National Assembly (NA) approved on Friday the Zainab Alert, Recovery and Response Bill, 2019, which will introduce a response and recovery mechanism for missing children.

During the NA session, Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari presented the bill. Both the government and opposition unanimously passed the bill. The bill has been approved exactly two years after the rape and murder of seven-year-old Zainab. The bill will now be sent to the Senate.

The bill has been made following the rape and murder of seven-year-old Zainab in 2018. She was found five days after she went missing in a trash heap in Kasur on January 9. Her murderer was hanged in Kot Lakhpat jail the same year.

Under the bill, a helpline will be established to report missing children while an agency for issuing an alert for missing children, will also be set up. The bill has proposed the death sentence, life imprisonment or rigorous imprisonment for a term for people who abduct children.

The bill also proposes taking action against police officials who cause unnecessary delay in investigating such cases.

Today finally after a long long wait the Zainab Alert Bill & ICT Persons with Disabilities Bill were passed by National Assembly. Hoping Senate will pass them on an urgent basis so they become laws. These laws are really needed.

— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) January 10, 2020

Federal Planning, Development and Reforms Minister Asad Umar took to his Twitter handle and hoped that the bill is passed by the Senate. He further said that it is the responsibility of both the  country’s lawmakers as well of the state to protect the country’s minor children.

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— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) January 10, 2020