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Pakistani parliament passes law against honour killings

Xinhua, October 7, 2016 Adjust font size:

Pakistani parliament on Thursday passed a law, seeking to curb murders in the name of honour, parliamentarians said.

The legislation passed by the Joint session - the National Assembly and the Senate -- makes 25 years jail mandatory in case of honour killings even if the murderer has been pardoned by other close family members.

The bill was passed amid claims by the rights groups that some time women are killed on the name of honour. There was a growing demand in the country to make legislation against the crime.

The bill, initially moved by former Senator Sughra Imam of the Pakistan Peoples party, was passed unanimously by the Senate sometime back and subsequently moved in the Joint Sitting of the Parliament by another PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar on the expiry of Imam's term in the Senate.

Under the existing laws a close relative murdered a woman in the name of honour and was promptly pardoned by another close family member. Thus the murderer would walk away literally without any punishment.

"It cannot be the spirit of religion to condone pre-meditated murder with ulterior murders," the mover Farhatullah Babar said.

He said that the anti honour killing Bill was passed by the Senate Committee in 2014 when it was headed by a senator of an Islamic party. Subsequently it was passed by the 104 member Senate by consensus including the religious parties.

The parliament also adopted another law to punish rapists by using modern technology of DNA test in investigating rape cases.

About the Anti Rape Bill Babar said that a recent study had shown that conviction in rape cases was a mere 2% which means that 98 % rapists potentially got scot-free, adding this is largely because DNA test is not compulsory in rape case under the existing law.

The legislation passed however makes DNA test mandatory in investigations as part of the procedure. Through another amendment enhanced punishment has been provided for rape in police stations and rape of minors and mentally handicapped. The new legislation also deletes from Qanun e Shahadat the provision related to questioning the character of the victim of rape.

Thus sex workers also get protection of the law against rape.

The identity of a rape victim will also be protected under the legislation passed on Thursday. Endit