<span style="color: #222222;">Lawmakers in Pakistan approved on Wednesday new anti-rape legislation that would allow speedy convictions and severe sentences, including chemical castration, for rapists.<br />''<br />''The bill is a response to a public outcry against a recent surge in incidents of rape of women and children in the country and growing demands for effectively stemming the crime.<br />''<br />''The government will be required to establish special courts across Pakistan to expedite trials of rape suspects and decide cases of sexual abuse expeditiously, preferably within four months.<br />''<br />''Under the bill, a nationwide register of sex offenders will also be maintained with the help of the National Database and Registration Authority.<br />''<br />''Those found guilty of gang rape will be sentenced to death or imprisoned for the rest of their lives, and repeat offenders could be subjected to chemical castration.<br />''<br />''Critics say fewer than 4 per cent of sexual assault or rape cases in Pakistan result in a conviction.<br />''The circumstances often discourage women from seeking justice for fear of being shamed or persecuted by police or even their own relatives in the largely conservative Pakistani society.</span><br />