Latest news with #SenateStandingCommitteeonLawandJustice
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 If the defendant fails to pay by the 14th of each month, their right to present a defense will be withdrawn.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.
