She comes in response to a public outcry over a recent spate of rapes against women and children in the country and growing demands for justice for victims of sexual assault.
The bill stipulates that the Pakistani government must establish special courts at the national level to expedite rape trials and ensure that cases of sexual abuse are resolved "promptly, preferably within four months. Those found guilty of gang rape will be sentenced to death or life imprisonment.
Chemical castration is the use of drugs to reduce libido or sexual activity. It is a legal form of punishment in countries like South Korea, Poland, the Czech Republic, and some states in the United States.
Amnesty International said the chemical castration sentence was "cruel and inhumane" in a statement last December when the state announced the bill. "Instead of trying to deflect attention, authorities should focus on crucial reforms that will tackle the root cause of sexual violence and give survivors the justice they deserve," Amnesty said.
3% of sexual assault or rape cases result in conviction in Pakistan, Reuters reported last December, citing War on Rape, a nonprofit organization in Karachi.
In a landmark decision in January, in Pakistan's most populous province, Punjab, virginity testing of victims of sexual assault was banned.
So-called virginity tests, which involve inspecting the hymen or inserting two fingers into the vagina, are invasive tests done in the belief that they can determine if a woman is a virgin.
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