Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has called for rapists to be hanged or chemically castrated after authorities arrest a second man connected with the gang rape of a woman in the country last week.
Last Thursday, authorities in Pakistan have arrested 15 people suspected to be linked to the rape of a woman on a major highway, an incident that fueled an outcry demanding for justice for victims of sexual abuse.
“They should be given exemplary punishments. In my opinion, they should be hanged at the chowk [intersection],” Khan said.
“The way murders are graded as first degree, second degree and third degree, rape should also be graded this way, and the first grade rapists should be castrated and incapable completely.”
He added that hangings may lead to their country being punished by the EU, so it might be better to punish the convicted rapists with chemical castration instead.
The victim was driving on the highway in the early hours of Thursday when she ran out of gas and her car broke down.
She called for assistance and locked the doors of her car, but a group of men smashed the window and dragged her out.
Out of the 15 suspects brought to custody, two primary suspects has been named, Shafqat Ali and Abid Malhi.
Shafqat has confessed to the crime, to which police confirms as his DNA has matched samples found at the scene.
“Our entire team continues to work towards the arrest of suspect Abid Ali and we expect him to be arrested soon,” said Provincial Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Monday.
Meanwhile, Lahore police chief Umar Sheikh face backlash from protesters who calls for his resignation after suggesting the rape was partially the victim’s fault for going out without a male companion and running out of gas.
He later apologized for his remark, and said that he had no intentions to hold the woman responsible for her ordeal.