Domestic Violence in Pakistan| Political parties united against Domestic Violence Bill in Pakistan too, understand why it is being opposed. Know why domestic violence bill in Pakistan opposed by opposition

Islamabad: During the Corona epidemic in Pakistan, cases of domestic violence against women are increasing continuously. A new bill has been introduced in Pakistan regarding the increasing cases of domestic violence in the country, in which there is a provision of severe punishment against those accused of violence. But this proposed law is already being opposed in the political circles, even the ruling leaders are opposing it. PM Imran Khan’s advisor to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan has written a letter to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Asad Qaiser, seeking a review of the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill, 2021.

What is the proposed law?

The Bill provides for stringent punitive measures against all forms of domestic violence. According to the Indian Express, it states that any act of domestic violence can be punished with imprisonment of up to three years and imprisonment of not less than six months. In addition, a fine ranging from Rs 20,000 to Rs 1,00,000 can be imposed on the offender. The bill aims to protect women, children, the elderly and other vulnerable groups from domestic violence. The proposed bill also seeks to offer relief and rehabilitation to all victims of domestic violence.

What is the status of the bill?

The bill was introduced in the National Assembly by Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari on April 19 this year and was passed in the lower house on the same day. When it was introduced in the Senate, the opposition insisted on sending the bill to the Standing Committee. Yousuf Raza Gilani, a member of the Pakistan People’s Party and Leader of the Opposition, had then said that the proposed law was important, but the Standing Committee should review it. The committee was then asked by the chairman of the Senate to submit a report on the bill. The report proposed several amendments to the draft, after which the bill was sent back to the National Assembly.

Who is opposing the bill and why?

In a letter to Kaiser on July 5, Awan stated that there were a number of concerns regarding the definitions of the law and other content of the bill. The letter said, “The most important thing is that this bill is an Islamic [निषेध] and violates the way of life, as enshrined in Article 31 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, under the responsibility of the State.” He added that it is advisable that the Bill be referred to the CII as the proposed law should be passed. The Constitution gives “the right of the Islamic Council (CII) to advise either House, the Provincial Assembly, the President or the Governor on any question.

Conservatives are protesting
More conservative sections and religious fanatics have criticized the bill, saying it is harsh and has many shortcomings that can be misused. Recently, many people in Pakistan have been tweeting with the hashtag #WeRejectDomesticViolenceBill on Twitter to express their protest. Popular Pakistani actor and writer Usman Khalid Butt was among those who took to Twitter to criticize his outspoken opposition to the bill.

A look at the latest statistics of domestic violence in Pakistan
In Pakistan, which is ranked sixth in the list of most dangerous countries in the world in terms of women’s safety, there has been a lot of violent crimes against women. In April last year, when the Imran government imposed a lockdown regarding Corona, the cases of domestic violence had increased very rapidly at that time. According to Pakistani media, during the last six months of 2020, 1,422 cases of domestic violence and 9,401 cases of violence against women were registered.