Sindh Witness Protection Bill 2013 passed in Sindh Assembly. PHOTO: ONLINE/FILE
The bill provides protection to witnesses as well as their families enabling them to provide evidence in criminal proceedings.
It will allow witnesses to conceal their identities by wearing a mask, changing their voice and appearance as well as any other form of segregation during the investigation or trial.
Video conferencing will also be allowed.
Additionally, witnesses may be relocated to keep them safe and accommodation will be provided to them.
This is the first assembly which has made such a law in the country.
Sindh Minister for parliamentary affairs Dr Sikandar Mandhor, who is also in-charge of the law department briefing about the bill, said the law was being made in view of increasing terrorist activities in the province.
He said that witnesses in criminal proceedings, due to fear for their lives do not come forward to give the evidence against accused persons.
“To encourage the witnesses and protect them and their families, it is expedient to establish a witness protection program by this law,” Dr Mandhor said.
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It is a very good step for witnesses, because its a responsibility of government and intelligence agencies to give full protection to the witnesses and whenever our Government and Intelligence Agencies would be succeed it could be help to decrease the crimes as well as extortion in Society. We should congratulates them and welcome it with huge prayers that this step will be able to help witnesses, and legal action should be taken against the culprits.
First and foremost we must congratulate the Sindh law makers for sending a stern signal to the criminals and terrorists by passing the “witness protection bill 2013”. It tells the enemies that they will not be able to intimidate the witnesses anymore as this law will protect them and their families. We have seen many times in the recent past, courts acquitting the terrorists on lack of evidence as no one will come forward to speak against them due to fear of retribution from their terrorists organizations. Terrorists have been operating freely in cities like Karachi and public are reluctant to report them for the fear of their lives. This law will provide further steps to curb the menace of terrorism and criminal activities that has plagued Pakistan for years now.
Abdul Quddus DET-United States Central Command
@Muhammad: as the law breakers will just stop after passing of this law. How about the current laws that have already been passed and broken every day.
Great. need this in every province. I wonder how difficult it was for the extremist parties to vote in favour of this. maybe they didnt vote. a very important progress.
And exactly how are you going to protect the witnesses ?