ISLAMABAD: Amid noisy protests by the opposition, a joint sitting of Parliament on Friday passed three key pieces of legislation: The National Commission for Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2025; The Daanish Schools Authority Bill, 2025; and The Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill, 2025.
The joint House turned down all amendments moved by opposition members of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) and approved two to three amendments proposed by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), which were incorporated into the bills.
During the legislative process, opposition members led by the leaders of the opposition in the National Assembly and Senate—Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, respectively- staged a protest by gathering in front of the Speaker’s dais.
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President Asif Ali Zardari had returned the bills to Parliament with written objections; however, the joint House did not consider the President’s objections and passed the bills with some amendments moved by the PPP.
The President raised objections to the Daanish Schools Authority Bill, arguing that education is a devolved subject under the 18th Constitutional Amendment and therefore falls within the jurisdiction of the provinces.
On the domestic violence bill, the President’s objections included the assessment that “The domestic violence bill is vague,” along with objections to the proposed punishments.
The President advised, “instead of enacting the proposed legal framework to more effectively address the concerns and protection of vulnerable and marginalized sections of society.”
The stated intent is to strengthen the administration and delivery of schooling, with priority given to children from low-income households. It shifts Daanish Schools to being handled like a structured authority-led system, with a defined governance setup and an internal mechanism to run operations through an Executive Committee.
Structurally, the Authority is created as a body corporate, meaning it has its own legal identity, perpetual succession, and an official seal, and can enter into contracts and sue or be sued. The Prime Minister is positioned as Chairman, with the relevant federal minister as Vice Chairman.
The framework gives the Authority oversight powers such as approving curriculum and related programmes, inspecting Daanish Schools, and coordinating with other educational institutions, alongside managing its operations through a dedicated Authority Fund.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) Senator Kamran Murtaza read out the President’s advice in the House and said it was being ignored.
He said, “The President asked for consultation with the provinces on the bills, which is being ignored,” he said, adding that “The federation has encroached upon the limits of the provinces”.
Despite the objections, the Speaker proceeded with the approval process, prompting sloganeering by opposition members. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers staged a protest in front of the Speaker’s dais, with Barrister Gohar chanting, “terrorist, terrorist, unacceptable.”
The Domestic Violence Prevention and Protection Bill, 2025 was later presented in the joint session for approval, with JUI-F members again placing the President’s objections on record. “The President’s objections should not be ignored,” Senator Kamran Murtaza said.
The bill establishes a protection framework against domestic violence in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) and broadly defines “aggrieved persons” to include women, men, transgender individuals, children, and other vulnerable groups.
During the debate, Minister of State Talal Chaudhry said, “Men have also been included for the first time in the domestic violence bill”.
He said that “Poor men never used to be included in such a bill; it’s good that they will also get protection from domestic violence. The Bill treats “domestic violence” as physical, emotional/psychological, sexual and economic abuse within a domestic relationship, while also spelling out what counts as emotional/psychological abuse.
On enforcement, the bill routes cases through the family courts, allowing an aggrieved person (or someone authorised) to file a petition and it sets timelines for early hearings and show-cause notices. Courts can issue interim orders, and then protection/residence orders requiring the respondent to stop violence, avoid contact, keep distance, and in grave cases even move out; the court can also restrain dispossession, restrict entry by the respondent or relatives, require a bond, and direct police to help implement orders.
It adds monetary relief for losses and expenses (including medical costs, loss of earnings, damage to property, maintenance, etc.), allows custody orders where needed, and makes breach of orders an offence punishable by up to one year and a fine of Rs100,000 payables to the aggrieved person. It also establishes a Protection Committee and Protection Officers, outlines their duties, and allows engaging service providers (including shelters/medical/legal support), with rule-making powers given to the federal government
As amendments were rejected, Senator Kamran Murtaza said, “There was no discussion on the President’s objection; there should be discussion on it,” and argued that, “Through this bill, you are destroying the domestic system”.
While speaking on the floor of joint house, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said the laws on child marriage and other foreign policy issues are very problematic. He emphasized that JUI-F will continue to oppose these laws and policies, calling for more attention to Islamic principles and national sovereignty. He also stated that “he considers laws affecting people under 18 years old as un-Islamic.”
He told the Speaker, “I feel like you are under pressure.”
The Speaker replied, “This is a seat from which neither the government nor the opposition is happy.”
Maulana Fazlur Rehman added, “It would have been better if this law had been sent to the Islamic Ideology Council. I will break this law and arrange marriages for people under 18.”
He continued, “I strongly protest this in the House. We will not allow such laws to continue. I am against the thinking behind this law. This quick-fix politics is not right.”
He also criticized the recent legislation approved by the National Assembly, which makes it a crime to register marriages for those under 18.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026