F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: National Assembly has passed five bills to protect rights of women, and minorities with the endeavour of Ministry of Human Rights during 2017 besides an amendment has also been done on punishment of female child marriage in a Criminal Law Act.The five bills included `The National Commission on theRights of the Child Act, 2017, which was passed on 1st of February lastyear. Following an amendment was passed regarding the punishment for non-Muslimgirl child marriage accused.
The amendment was passed under, “The Criminal Laws Amendment) Act, 2017”, on February 6, 2017.According to it “Provided that in case of a female child asdefined in the Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1992 (XIX of 1929), or anon-Muslim woman, the accused shall be punished with imprisonment of eitherdescription for a term which may extend to ten years but shall not be less thanfive years and shall also be liable to fine which may extend to one millionrupees.”
The third legislation passed by the lower house of theparliament was “The National Commission on “The Status of Women (Amendment)Act, 2017” on February 17, whereas, “The Hindu Marriage Act, 2017, was passed on March 9, a day after the International Women Day, observed annually on March8.After the gap of six months, the next Act was passed on September 13, 2017, titled, “National Commission on the Rights of the Child Act, 2017” and last one was the long awaited amendment in “The Women in Distress and Detention Fund (Amendment) Act, 2017, on December 14, which was initially introduced in 1996 with the title “The Women in Distress and Detention Fund Act, 2016”.
The bill seeks to achieve the aforesaid objective to establish a fund providing financial and legal assistance to the women languishing in jails on account of different allegations and those who face extreme hardships. After a long time of almost 22 years, the bill is still lingering due to one reason or the other leaving women in miseries to survive at their own.
The Federal Minister for Human Rights briefed APP that the main reason for delay in implementation of this initiative was reallocation of the business under various Ministries and Divisions. But, he said, after thorough working on the issue permanent solution has been sorted out and the domains fall under the minister in-charge of the ministry.
Besides that under the new amendment the board of governors of the fund which was earlier comprised of 19 members, has now been reduced to nine for ensuring availability of members and holding regular meeting ensuing relief to women in need.
