National Assembly Passes Bill Abolishing Death Penalty for Public Nudity and Providing Shelter to Hijackers

Islamabad: The National Assembly, following the Senate’s lead, has passed an amendment bill to Pakistan’s criminal laws, effectively abolishing the death penalty for crimes such as publicly stripping a woman and offering shelter to hijackers.
The bill, which amends the Pakistan Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure, was presented in the National Assembly for approval. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) member, Alia Kamran, introduced the motion to present the bill to the Standing Committee, sparking an interesting situation in the house.
Government members surprisingly supported Kamran’s motion, which left Law Minister Farooq Hakka stunned. Deputy Speaker then called for a second vote in the House, but the opposition protested, leading to Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Naveed Qamar joining the opposition. The opposition demanded that Qamar stand with them, but the Deputy Speaker rejected their request.
In another development, the National Assembly also approved a bill for the establishment of a Whistleblower Protection and Oversight Commission. The bill was presented by the Federal Law Minister, Azam Nazeer Tarar, who proposed it for referral to the Standing Committee. The Deputy Speaker assigned the bill to the committee with a 15-day deadline for a report.
Additionally, the House approved the motion to forward the Pakistan Coast Guard Amendment Bill for approval in a joint parliamentary session. The motion was presented by Minister of State for Interior, Talal Chaudhry.