Last Change:

04/24/2025

Criminal Law (Second Amendment) Act, 2016

Year: 2016

Type: Domestic law

Rights Category: Liberty & security of person

Link to external source: https://na.gov.pk/uploads/documents/1467011388_916.pdf
Description

An Act further to amend the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860 and the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898.

The Criminal Law (Second Amendment) Act 2016 introduces significant protections for children by amending the PPC. New sections (292A, 292B, 292C) criminalise exposing children to seduction and child pornography. Section 328C penalises cruelty to children, including physical or psychological abuse, neglect, or abandonment. Sections 377A and 377B make sexual abuse of minors and child trafficking criminal offences, with corresponding punishments.

Selected provisions
Section 7 - Insertion of new section 377A and 377B, Act XLV of 1860.

In the Penal Code, after section 377, the following new sections shall be inserted, namely:-
"377A. Sexual abuse.- Whoever employs, uses, forces, persuades, induces, entices, or coerces any person to engage in, or assist any other person to engage in fondling, stroking, caressing, exhibitionism, voyeurism or any obscene or sexually explicit conduct or simulation of such conduct either independently or in conjunction with other acts, with or without consent where age of person is less than eighteen years, is said to commit the offence of sexual abuse.
377B. Punishment.- Whoever commits the offence of sexual abuse shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years and liable to fine which shall not be less than five hundred thousand rupees or with both."

Section 5 - Insertion of new section 328A, Act XLV of 1860.

In the Penal Code, after section 328, the following new section shall be inserted, namely:-
"328A. Cruelty to a child.__ Whoever willfully assaults, ill-treats, neglects, abandons or does an act of omission or commission, that results in or has, potential to harm or injure the child by causing physical or psychological injury to him shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than one year and may extend upto three years, or with fine which shall not be less than twenty-five thousand rupees and may extend upto fifty thousand rupees, or with both."