Senate clears tougher laws for forced marriages

Members of the upper house approve Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2016

ISLAMABAD: The upper house of parliament on Friday unanimously approved the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2016 which recommends more stringent penalties for forced marriages, fanning religious and sectarian divisions and providing misleading information.

Giving details of the bill, the State Minister for Interior Balighur Rehman told the Senate that punishment for forced marriage has been enhanced from seven-year-imprisonment to ten-year-imprisonment. “The bill also covers child labour and forced marriage with non-Muslims,” he said.





The minister told the upper house that a section has been included in the Anti-Terrorism Act. Under the new section, additional punishment may be given to people involved in mob violence and lynching, whether motivated by religious or any other reason.

He said the use of modern techniques have been introduced in the law of evidence. “There are a number of places where it is difficult to bring witnesses. In such situations, modern technology could be used.”

Rehman said amendments have been suggested in the Police Act and it has now been included in the duties of policemen to stop spreading hatred on the basis of religion or sect. “In this regard, three-year imprisonment will also be awarded apart from fine, if the officials failed to comply with order,” he said.

Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani expressed anger over inclusion of the repealed Protection of Pakistan Act (Popa) in the proposed amendments. “What sort of legislation the interior ministry and Senate Committee on Interior are drafting?” he said.



The Senate Committee for Interior Chairman Rehman Malik also asked how this act made its way back to the draft after the committee removed it. Law Minister Zahid Hamid replied it was a ‘typographical error’ and would be removed from the draft.

Senator Tahir Mashhadi of the MQM raised objection to the use of new methods in giving testimony. “We want punishment for culprits but history tells that in this country laws made with good intention are used against politicians,” he said.

Later, the house passed the bill unanimously. The Senate also passed a resolution paying tribute to Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for enhancing salaries of the lawmakers.

On a point of order, Balighur Rehman said PakTurk schools were neither closed down nor their administration was being changed.  He also informed the house that an inquiry commission has been formed to probe the inclusion of an indecent question in the matriculation paper of Allama Iqbal Open University.

State Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said Chashma Nuclear Power Plant will start generation 320MW electricity by December.  Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab told the house that the country has a reservoir of an estimated 186 billion tons of coal.

The Senate chairman expressed annoyance at the absence of minister of water and power and asked the government to submit a reply with regard to electricity crisis in Balochistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 26^th, 2016.