Ijaz Kakakhel Islamabad
A legislative body of upper house of parliament on Monday deferred the Bill titled “Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2022” regarding forced disappearance and advised the ministry of interior to remove ambiguity in the Bill and deferred the consideration of it till the next meeting.
The bill was discussed in the Senate Standing Committee on Interior meeting which was held today at Old PIPS Hall Parliament Lodges while Senator Mohsin Aziz was in the Chair.
The meeting commenced with deliberations on the Bill titled “Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2022”. State Minister for Law and Justice, Senator Shahadat Awan apprised the committee that the Bill is regarding forced disappearances and in the Bill it is stated that “If a complainant filed a petition against forced disappearance and if the petition found fake after some time then the petitioner will be awarded imprisonment for a term extending to five years. He added that this clause will hinder public to file petition against forced disappearances and there is vital need to revisit the few parts of the Bill.
Moreover, the senate body discussed the Bill titled “Anti Rape (Amendment) Bill,2022” introduced by Senator Mohsin Aziz. The Chair told the committee that the Bill aims to trace and track the location of the offenders so that they can be restrained from committing any offence in the future. State Minister for Law and Justice, Senator Shahadat Awan claimed that the Bill is against the Article 15 of the Constitution which provides freedom of movement to the citizens and however it is quite difficult to trace the location of offenders because it involves the establishment of new mechanism for the purpose. The committee deferred the consideration of the Bill for further deliberations till the next meeting.
Furthermore, the Bill titled “Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill,2022” introduced by Senator Fawzia Arshad has also been deferred till the next meeting. Senator Fawzia Arshad told the Committee that the motive of the Bill is to make it obligatory for the police departments of the country that only the women constables or officers can arrest the women accused of any offence. State Minister for Law and Justice apprised the senate body that these clauses are already incorporated in Police Rules and the only problem lies with it’s implementation.
