NA body approves bill to prevent Karo Kari
ISLAMABAD – The National Assembly Standing Committee on Law, Justice and Human Rights on Thursday approved a bill aimed at preventing crimes being committed in the name of Karo Kari (honour killing), Siya Kari and other stereotype social customs.
The committee met here with MNA Rai Mansab Ali Khan in the chair.
The government laid down the bill, Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2004, in the Lower House some six months ago and referred to the standing committee of the House. The National Assembly is now likely to pass the bill in its coming session starting from Friday.
The bill will be made an act after its passage from the Senate in its coming session likely to be started from October 27, a Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) Member National Assembly Mujeeb Pirzada told Business Recorder.
When contacted after the meeting, Mujeeb, who is also member of the committee, said that the minimum punishment for a person accused of honour killing would be enhanced from three to 10 years.
While the maximum punishment for such people, Mujeeb said, would be death penalty under the new law. Moreover, these crimes would be made non-compoundable, he added.
Under another provision of the bill, the murderer would not be able to claim any share from the property of deceased person or family he belongs to and these crimes would be treated as “heinous crimes”, Mujeeb said.
When contacted, Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) leader Hafiz Hussain Ahmed said that the religious alliance would decide whether to favour or oppose the bill in its Supreme Council meeting on Friday.
While opening the discussion on the amendment bill, Mansab said that the proposed amendments in the principal law were being made in the backdrop of taking serious cognisance of honour killings.
The members of the committee were also of the view that the law enacted by the Parliament would help in creating deterrence for the honour-related killings, however, they proposed certain amendments in some clauses.
Law, Justice and Human Rights Minister Wasi Zafar, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sher Afgan Khan Niazi, Minister of State for Defence Zahid Hamid, MNAs Kashmala Tariq, Abdul Mujeeb Pirzada and Mohammad Usman Advocate attended the meeting.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:10/8/2004
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