ISLAMABAD - Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari on Wednesday introduced the Domestic Violence (Protection and Prevention) Bill 2020 in National Assembly aimed to protect the rights of women, children, elders and other vulnerable persons who reside together at one place and are victims of domestic violence.
The bill was referred to the relevant Standing Committee for further deliberations. The bills aims to check violence against the vulnerable persons which includes physically aggressive acts like hitting, kicking, slapping, and throwing objects as well as emotionally abusive acts like threats, emotional and economic abuse.
Provincial governments of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan have already enacted legislation to address the issue of domestic violence at provincial levels. Ministry of human rights has, therefore, drafted a Bill to protect rights at the federal level.
The legislative proposal aims to establish an effective system of protection, relief and rehabilitation of women, children, elders and other vulnerable persons against domestic violence in the territorial jurisdiction of Islamabad Capital Territory.
It will provide relief to victims of domestic violence who are in domestic relationship and are related to each other by consanguinity, marriage and kinship etc.
The Bill also empowers courts to grant interim orders, protection custody and residence orders as well as award monetary relief to victims of violence at the expense of respondent. It also envisages the creation of a Protection Committee to assist the aggrieved person and process his/her application in court.
It is to mention that the ministry of human rights arranged a number of consultations with the relevant stakeholders and also obtained No Objection Certificate from Ministry of Interior being relevant ministry to deal with issue of violence.
Round of consultations were also held with Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, Minister for Science and Technology, Barrister Mirza Shahzad Akbar, State Minister for Interior/Special Assistant to PM (SAPM) and Faroogh Naseem, Minister for Law and Justice to finalize the Bill.