Latest news with #SenateStandingCommitteeonLawandJustice
Business Recorder
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Proposed amendment on LGs: NA Secretariat asked to issue reminder to all parliamentary party leaders
ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary body on Tuesday directed the National Assembly Secretariat to issue a reminder to all parliamentary party leaders to submit their opinion on the proposed constitutional amendment aimed at strengthening local governments. The Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice, which met with MNA Chaudhry Mahmood Bashir Virk in the chair, discussed 'The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2025' (Article 140-A) moved by MNA Muhammad Jawed Hanif Khan, seeking to make local government institutions more viable and effective in line with the aspirations of the people of Pakistan. The parliamentary body observed that, in compliance with its previous directions, letters were issued to the provincial governments as well as to the parliamentary leaders of all political parties, seeking their views regarding the proposed amendment in Article 140-A. However, the committee has so far not received a response of any parliamentary leader in this regard. The committee directed the secretariat to issue a reminder to all parliamentary leaders to submit their opinions as soon as possible to proceed further in the matter. The meeting also considered 'The Qanun-e-Shahadat (Amendment) Bill, 2025' moved by MNA Shazia Marri. During detailed deliberations, the mover informed the committee that, in light of the discussions held during the previous meeting, the proposed bill had been redrafted. The revised draft of the bill was placed before the parliamentary body for consideration, she said. The members of the committee observed that, since the bill now contained substantive amendments, it was not feasible to deliberate upon the revised draft without prior examination. Therefore, the committee decided to defer consideration of the bill till its next meeting to allow members sufficient time for a thorough review. The committee also considered the 'Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2024' (Article 25) moved by MNA Nafeesa Shah and 'The Code of Civil Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2024' (Section 54-A) moved by MNA Sofia Saeed Shah but due to the non-availability of the movers, the committee decided to defer consideration of both bills to its next meeting, with the observation that no further deferment shall be granted. The committee decided that, in case of continued absence of the movers, the bills shall be taken up and decided upon in absentia. MNAs Zahra Wadood Fatemi, Kiran Haider, Syed Ibrar Ali Shah, Syed Naveed Qamar, Syed Hafeezuddin, Hassan Sabir, Ali Muhammad Khan, Umair Khan Niazi, Changaze Ahmec Khan, Sardar Muhammad Latif Khan Khosa, Aliya Kamran, Shazia Marri, Jawed Hanif Khan, and senior officials of Ministry of Law and Justice attended the meeting. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Practitioners, Bar Councils (Amendment) Bill: Senate body passes significant amendments
ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice, unanimously, passed significant amendments to the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils (Amendment) Bill, 2025, aimed at strengthening the credibility, transparency, and operational timelines of bar councils across Pakistan. The parliamentary panel met with Farooq Hamid Naek in the chair, here on Thursday. After a detailed clause-by-clause review, the committee, unanimously, approved the bill with amendments. Under the new provisions, the elections for Bar Councils will now mandatorily be held on the first Saturday of November, and in no case beyond the second Saturday of November. This change institutionalises predictability and uniformity in the electoral process across all provincial and federal bar councils. The bill also introduces stricter eligibility requirements for candidates contesting Bar Council elections. After a thorough discussion between 7 and 10 years it was decided that a candidate must be enrolled as an advocate of the High Court for not less than 10 years. The candidate must have successfully handled at least 30 individual cases. Disqualification of membership will be upon individuals convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude, or sentenced to imprisonment for two years or more (unless released at least five years ago), will be disqualified from contesting. Another major development under the amendment is the allocation of Bar Council seats for the newly-merged districts into the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. These seats will be included in the group of districts as specified under Sub-Section (2)(b) of Section 5 of the Act, ensuring their rightful representation. Bar Councils play a pivotal role in upholding constitutional supremacy, the rule of law, and the independence of the judiciary. Therefore, it is imperative to introduce a robust and transparent mechanism to ensure that only candidates with the requisite expertise and experience hold office in these prestigious bodies. According to statement of objects and reasons of the bill the Bar Councils play a pivotal role in upholding constitutional supremacy, the rule of law, and the independence of the judiciary. Therefore, it would be judicious to introduce a robust mechanism and transparent requirements for becoming office holders of Bar Councils. These amendments would ensure that candidates possess the requisite expertise and experience to fulfill these critical responsibilities effectively. In addition, this amendment provides the share of seats for newly-merged districts into the Province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as prescribed in the group of Districts given in the Schedule made under Sub-Section (2)(b) of Section 5 of the Act. Other constitutional amendment bills on the agenda were deferred. The meeting was also attended by senators, Syed Ali Zafar, Ahad Khan Cheema, Abdul Qadir, and Khalil Tahir. Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazir Tarar, along with chairmen of various Bar Councils and other key legal stakeholders, were also present. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Proposed amendments in PPC: Senate panel seeks final opinion of CII
ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary committee on Tuesday sought the final opinion of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) on proposed amendments to the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) concerning the estimation and payment of blood money (diyyah). The Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice, chaired by Senator Farooq Hamid Naek, reviewed the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which aims to revise Sections 323, 330, and 331 of the PPC. The bill was introduced by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri. Explaining the rationale behind the proposed changes, the mover told the committee that the issue of blood money (diyyah) has long been a matter of concern for both jurists and the judiciary due to its great importance in people's daily lives. The bill seeks to modernise the valuation mechanism of diyyah, taking into account contemporary economic conditions and the spirit of Sharia, she says. According to the statement of objects and reasons of the bill that since traditional assets such as camels, gold, and silver have fluctuated significantly in value and accessibility, a modern framework is essential to ensure fairness for both victims' families and offenders. It is also necessary to create deterrence so that no one simply pays blood money (diyyah) and gets away, while the victim's family continues to suffer, it says. The committee recognised that the minimum amount of diyyah must be consistent with Sharia stipulations, as reaffirmed by the representative of the CII, who stated: The minimum amount of diyyah remains fix grams of gold and any amendment must strictly adhere to the injunctions of the holy Quran and Sharia. The committee deferred the bill for further deliberations in order to get comprehensive input from all relevant stakeholders. It decided to invite the Ministry of Interior to share their viewpoints, particularly on the practical implementation of the proposed amendments. The committee sought the final opinion of the CII, so that no legislation on diyyah must fall outside the bounds of Quranic principles. The parliamentary body for Ministry of Law will compile a comparative chart on values of silver, gold; etc, and to outline the prevailing practices in other Muslim countries. Senators Shahadat Awan, Kamran Murtaza, Mohammad Abdul Qadir, Zamir Hussain Ghumro, the Minister of State for Law and Justice, and Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri also attended the meeting. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Senate sub-committee okays divorcee support bill
A Senate sub-committee on Monday approved the Family Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which requires family courts to set a monthly maintenance amount for divorcees and their children at the first hearing of a case. The bill was moved by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri and aims to reduce the impact of prolonged divorce cases on women with no source of income. The meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice's Sub-Committee was held here on Monday which was chaired by Senator Zamir Hussain Ghumro. The session reviewed the bill which had first been introduced in the Senate on September 9, 2024. Committee members agreed that unresolved divorce cases in family courts often leave women and children without financial support for years. They pointed out that most affected women in the country lack independent income and face serious financial difficulties during court proceedings. Senator Zehri explained that about 90 per cent of women in the country do not earn independently, and delays in maintenance decisions deepen their financial troubles. She said the bill aims to make courts set a fixed maintenance amount early on, to provide immediate relief. The proposed law mandates courts to determine maintenance at the initial hearing. If the defendant fails to pay by the 14th of each month, their right to present a defense will be withdrawn. In that case, courts can pass a decision based on the complainant's claims and documents. The additional secretary of the Ministry of Law and Justice noted that similar legal changes have already taken effect in Punjab. He added that the Ministry's role applies only to federal-level matters. Senator Ghumro, who chaired the meeting, referred to Article 35 of the Constitution, which assigns the State the responsibility of protecting families, especially women and children. He said that failure to ensure financial support during divorce proceedings harms vulnerable families and weakens social protections. Senator Anusha Rahman Ahmad Khan, who attended the meeting, backed the proposed law. She praised the initiative and urged the introduction of more such proposals to protect women's rights.
Express Tribune
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Senate body adopts civil courts bill
The Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice on Wednesday adopted the Civil Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2025. The law committee convened under the chairmanship of Senator Farooq Hamid Naek to review and discuss several key legislative bills. The committee adopted the Civil Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2025, as introduced by Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, Minister for Law and Justice. The bill, which had already been passed by the National Assembly, aims to reduce the mounting burden of litigation on the appellate side of the Islamabad High Court. The bill seeks to address the growing issue of pendency in the Islamabad High Court, which has been exacerbated by the rising property prices in the Islamabad territory. As property valuations now exceed twenty-five hundred thousand rupees, a significant number of regular first appeals against civil court orders and decrees have increased the caseload. Senator Tarar highlighted the necessity of having district courts entertain such matters, thereby reducing pressure on the appellate side of the Islamabad High Court. The committee also addressed the issue of the delay in notifying the nomination of Senator Hamid Khan as a member of the Board of Governors of the Legal Aid and Justice Authority. Chairman Senator Farooq Hamid Naek directed that the nomination be notified at the earliest and that the committee be updated on the progress. The Senate body engaged in a detailed discussion regarding the 'Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2024', introduced by Senator Munzoor Ahmed and Danesh Kumar. The bill, which seeks to amend Article 51 of the Constitution, was debated with input from the Ministry. The committee took note of the findings from the 2023 population census, which revealed that the Christian community is predominantly concentrated in Punjab, while the Hindu community is largely based in Sindh. This geographical disparity could pose challenges if each province is designated as a single constituency for minority reserved seats. The committee chairman advised further review of the bill based on population data and under the relevant legal framework. The movers of the bill requested additional time to consider amendments. Similarly, the committee deliberated on the 'Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2024', introduced by Senator Khalida Ateeb. This bill was deferred due to the lack of support from the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the pending comments from other provincial governments. The 'Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2024', moved by Senator Aon Abbas, which proposes the creation of a new province of South Punjab, was also deferred. Additionally, the 'Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2024', introduced by Senator Muhammad Abdul Qadir, which proposes an amendment to Article 27 concerning quotas, was deferred for further review. The committee chairman expressed the need to review previous judgments by the Supreme Court on the matter of time limits for quotas before proceeding.
