ISLAMABAD: The Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, was overwhelmingly approved by the Senate Standing Committee on Interior on Thursday. It amends the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860, as well as the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898.
Important bills that reflected the committee’s dedication to public welfare and legislative excellence were considered during the session.
First, the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 was passed by the committee unanimously, with a special focus on preserving the dignity of the departed.
Additionally, the measure suggested raising punishments to Rs500,000, demonstrating the severity of the country’s human rights transgressions. This unanimous choice demonstrates the committee’s commitment to protecting the rule of law.
A further development was the withdrawal of the Prevention and Control of Human Trafficking (Amendment) Bill, 2024 by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri. The relevant Ordinance, which the amendment aimed to rectify, had already been repealed in 2018, at the time of this ruling.
The Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, sponsored by Senator Shahadat Awan, was passed, marking another noteworthy legislative accomplishment. Sections 292, 293, and 294 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) were significantly amended by this law, and the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) was also modified as a result. The law was passed with the required modifications in place, despite concerns expressed over the possible misuse of the proposed sentence enhancements. This shows how diligently the committee worked to refine the legislative recommendations for maximum efficacy.
On the other hand, the committee postponed discussing Senator Shahadat Awan’s Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2024. This bill, which concentrated on Sections 513 and 514 of the CrPC, demonstrates the committee’s astute method of allocating legislative priorities according to the importance and urgency of each issue.Furthermore, a careful examination was conducted of the National Database and Registration Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which was presented by Senator Fawzia Arshad. The committee demonstrated its dedication to improving administrative processes and guaranteeing the effectiveness of regulatory frameworks by passing this measure with modifications.
In addition to legislative topics, Senator Danesh Kumar brought up important issues that were discussed by the committee. There was much discussion regarding issues with commuters at Balochistan-Karachi check posts and the demolition of a Hindu temple in Mithi District, Tharparkar.
To expedite security processes and guarantee a smooth commuter experience, the committee suggested creating a combined check post. It also promoted treating encroachers fairly and emphasized the need for the law to be applied equally to all people, regardless of their socioeconomic or religious background.
The Senate Standing Committee on Interior conducts its business with a sense of obligation to the country.
Together with senior officials from pertinent departments, Senators Saifullah Abro, Danesh Kumar, Fawzia Arshad, Kamil Ali Agha, Shahadat Awan, Waqar Mehdi, and Aon Abbas strive for the welfare of the public and perfection in legislation. They uphold the values of fairness, accountability, and progress for all citizens through their discussions and choices.
