ISLAMABAD: Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice on Thursday reviewed a series of proposed constitutional and legal amendments aimed at strengthening justice, equality, and gender representation, with several key items deferred for further consultation.
The committee, chaired by Farooq Naek, considered amendments related to civil service quotas, women’s representation in constitutional bodies, and revisions to the Pakistan Penal Code concerning accidental killings.
A constitutional amendment bill introduced by Senator Mohammad Abdul Qadir, proposing an increased Central Superior Services (CSS) quota for Balochistan, was discussed.
Naek advised that such changes should be addressed through amendments to civil service laws rather than the Constitution. The matter was deferred after Qadir sought time to review relevant court judgments.
Another bill, introduced by Samina Mumtaz Zehri, sought amendments to sections 323, 330 and 331 of the penal code to enhance justice for victims of accidental killings.
While members supported the spirit of the proposal, they stressed the need to remain aligned with Islamic principles. The committee noted that the current standard for diyyah (blood money) remains based on silver, and Naek called for a study on adjusting its value to reflect inflation. The bill was deferred pending input from the Council of Islamic Ideology.
In a separate move, Zeeshan Khanzada proposed constitutional amendments to mandate women’s representation in the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) and the Council of Common Interests (CCI).
Naek supported the proposal, recommending that at least three women be appointed to the CII.
The Ministry of Law said that while gender-specific quotas do not currently exist, such representation could be mandated by law. The issue was referred to the prime minister for review, with formal input also sought from the CII.
Another constitutional amendment bill, introduced by Senator Aon Abbas, was deferred pending feedback from three provinces. Two further agenda items were postponed due to the absence of bill movers.
Naek concluded the meeting by reaffirming the committee’s commitment to ensuring all legislation upholds justice, equality, and the public interest, while respecting constitutional and religious frameworks.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.