Lahore: A female doctor was dismissed from service for conducting a virginity test on a minor rape victim despite the ban in Pakistan's Punjab province.
The Punjab government on Tuesday terminated the services of Dr. Alija Gill.
The Lahore High Court banned the two-finger virginity test in rape examinations in 2020. The court called virginity testing "derogatory despite having no forensic value".
In a case involving a 10-year-old rape victim, the LHC court on Tuesday took serious cognizance of the two-finger test conducted by a woman doctor on her.
“Under no circumstances, the test can be conducted or recorded in the medicolegal report,” LHC Justice Farooq Haider said during the hearing on Tuesday. He also expressed concern over the practice of testing in hospitals despite the ban.
The judge said how doctors are issuing medical certificates against the law.
“This is a very serious matter and should not be ignored,” he said.
The Punjab government told the court that it terminated Gill's services for conducting the virginity test of a minor rape victim.
The government said that in the light of the LHC decision, instructions have been issued to doctors across the province regarding medicolegal examinations of victims of sexual assault that virginity tests should not be conducted or recorded in the medicolegal reports.
Government counsel Raj Maqsood told the LHC that the Surgeon Medical Officer of Punjab has also recommended forming a new medical board to examine the victim.
The judge adjourned the hearing till Thursday.
The Punjab government on Tuesday terminated the services of Dr. Alija Gill.
The Lahore High Court banned the two-finger virginity test in rape examinations in 2020. The court called virginity testing "derogatory despite having no forensic value".
In a case involving a 10-year-old rape victim, the LHC court on Tuesday took serious cognizance of the two-finger test conducted by a woman doctor on her.
“Under no circumstances, the test can be conducted or recorded in the medicolegal report,” LHC Justice Farooq Haider said during the hearing on Tuesday. He also expressed concern over the practice of testing in hospitals despite the ban.
The judge said how doctors are issuing medical certificates against the law.
“This is a very serious matter and should not be ignored,” he said.
The Punjab government told the court that it terminated Gill's services for conducting the virginity test of a minor rape victim.
The government said that in the light of the LHC decision, instructions have been issued to doctors across the province regarding medicolegal examinations of victims of sexual assault that virginity tests should not be conducted or recorded in the medicolegal reports.
Government counsel Raj Maqsood told the LHC that the Surgeon Medical Officer of Punjab has also recommended forming a new medical board to examine the victim.
The judge adjourned the hearing till Thursday.
