ISLAMABAD - The National Assembly, on its last private members’ day on Tuesday, passed 11 important bills including “The Acid and Burn Crime Bill, 2017”, seeking capital punishment for acid attackers/perpetrators.

The last private members’ day disposed of a heavy agenda by passing 11 bills including two treasury members’ bills.

‘The Acid and Burn Crime Bill, 2017’, moved by Federal Minister Marvi Memon, seeks to help and protect the citizens against the acid attacks.

The provisions related to women, children and dependants in the bill, passed with some amendments, say: “If acid burn victim is a child, the federal government or the board would provide free accommodation for two-year where required at a suitable place.”

It says: “The federal government or the board would undertake responsibility for providing free shelter, sustenance and basic needs till such time that the victim is financially independent.”

The chapter two of the bill related to the offence of acid attack or burn attack says: “If such act has resulted in the death of any person, (the culprit) be punished with capital punishment.” “Whoever intentionally causes hurt by acid and burn attack shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for not less than seven years,” says the bill.

The statement of objects and reasons says: “Due to the socio-economic circumstances pertaining to the victim(s), the fear and stigma they are facing as well as the highly complex nature of acid and burn injuries, a specific and comprehensive legislation was needed.” The purpose was to ensure the protection and dignified life of Pakistan citizens within the spirit of the international conventions signed and ratified by Pakistan including the UDHR, CEDAW, CRC and ICCPR.

The House passed “Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2018”, moved by PPP’s MNA Naveed Qamar with the aim to provide proper protection to the witnesses. “The witnesses don’t feel intimidated, harassed and coerced whilst giving their testimony,” says the statement of objects and reasons of the bill.

The clause of the bill says: “The witness’s name and other identifying details shall be withheld or removed from materials disclosed to any party to the proceedings and the witness shall use a pseudonym.” It says: “Under this bill, the witness shall be screened so as to prevent his identification.”

Another clause of the bill says: “The identification parade shall be carried out by way of witness screening which is the use of screens, curtains or two-way mirrors to shield the witness and their identity from the accused and from the public and the media as a means to reduce any potential intimidation and face-to-face confrontation.”.

The House passed “The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) bill”, seeking to prohibit discrimination against transgender persons. The bill seeks to provide welfare measure by the government for transgender persons.

The statement of objects and reasons of the bill says: “Transgender people constitute one of the most marginalized communities in the country and they face problems from social exclusion to discrimination, lack of education facilities.”

The clause related to the right of employment says: “It shall be unlawful for an employer to discriminate against an employee on the ground of their sex, gender, identity.” It says: “The government must ensure the right to enter into any lawful profession or occupation and to conduct any lawful trade or business for the transgender persons.”

“There shall be no discrimination against transgender persons in acquiring the right share of the property. According to the law, the bill says, “for transgender male, the share of inheritance will be that of a man and for transgender female, the share of inheritance will be that of a woman.”

“Upon reaching the age of 18 years, if the person’s self-perceived gender identity is neither transgender man nor transgender woman, the share of inheritance will be an average of two separate distribute for a man and a woman.”

According to a clause related to offence and penalties: “Whoever, employs, compels or uses any transgender person for begging shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to 6 months with a fine, which may extend to Rs50,000 or with both.”

The House passed “National Civic Education Commission Act 2018” with an aim to provide people with intellectual context and developed necessary skills.  According to the statement of object and reasons of the bill: “The future of Pakistan and its 200 million people depends on continuity of democratic governance embedded in the supremacy of the Constitution and that democratic civic education is an important instrument to provide people with intellectual context.”

 “It is also a fact that core concepts like constitutionalism, federalism and representative parliamentary institutions are missing in the textbooks taught in the nation’s classrooms,” it further says.

The House passed “Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (Amendment) Bill 2017”, seeking access to rehabilitation services and support for children with disabilities living in remote and disadvantaged areas.

“Due to the absence of rehabilitation centres, the needs of disabled children remain unmet. One such disability is cerebral palsy; children suffering from such disability are ignored at large. The purpose of the bill is to establish rehabilitation centres for the disabled children where they could be provided occupational and speech therapy,” it says.

The House also passed Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Amendment) bill 2018 with the aim to ensure stricter punishments for the protection of animals form human brutality. The statement of objects and reasons of the bill says: “Since the prevention of cruelty to animal act 1890 is being followed, this bill strives to ensure stricter punishments for the protection of animals.”

The House also passed two government bills including ‘Sir Syed (Centre for Advanced Studies in Engineering) Institute of Technology, Islamabad Bill 2016,’ and ‘The Institute of Science and Technology Bahawalpur, Bill 2018.’  These bills were moved by Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Balighur Rehman.

The three bills, ‘The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) bill’, ‘Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (Amendment) Bill 2017’ and ‘Cruelty to Animals’ were originated by PPP’s Senator Karim Khwaja in the Upper House.

The House also passed a resolution extending the period of Capital Development Authority Amendment Ordinance 2018 for a further period of 120 days.

Meanwhile, the House witnessed a verbal brawl between PTI and PPP MNAs over a matter related to a clash between workers of the two parties over a venue for their May 12 rallies in Karachi.

PTI’s Arif Alvi, speaking on point of order, said that there was a need to amicably resolve the clash between workers of the two parties to avoid further disturbance. “PPP’s workers created a mess on Monday, which should be discouraged,” he said, inviting criticism from PPP lawmakers. PPP’s Nawaz Yusuf Talpur alleged that the PTI workers were involved in the violence. 

The two parties are at loggerheads after the PTI and the PPP announced to hold public rallies at Hakeem Saeed Ground in Gulshan-e-Iqbal in Karachi.

Fata lawmakers, at the fag end of the proceedings, expressed reservations for not inviting them in a parliamentary committee meeting to review the Fata reforms issue.

“I am from Fata but I was not invited to the parliamentary committee to review Fata reforms,” said FATA MNA Shah G Gul Afridi on a point of order. However, the deputy speaker clarified that he would be invited to the next meeting on Fata reforms.

 

 

NA passes bill seeking capital punishment for acid attackers