ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice on Wednesday deferred consideration of a proposed law seeking stricter penalties for those involved in honour killings.
The committee, which met with Senator Farooq Hamid Naek in the chair, deferred “the Criminal Laws (Amendment) (Honour Killings Prevention) Bill, 2026,” moved by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri, at the request of the Ministry of Law and Justice.
During the meeting, Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar said that several proposed safeguards were already available under existing laws, and he cautioned against legislative duplication. Shortcomings in investigation, prosecution, and enforcement remained the main challenges requiring attention, he said.
The members strongly condemned honor killings as a heinous crime and stressed that no custom, tradition, or social practice could justify the taking of a human life. They emphasized the need for a fundamental shift in societal attitudes, alongside the strict enforcement of existing laws.
The committee, following detailed discussion, deferred further consideration of the bill at the request of the Ministry of Law and Justice and the mover.
Naek directed the law division to furnish a comprehensive legal brief examining the existing statutory framework, proposed amendments and their implications.
The committee also deferred consideration of the Family Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2026; the Juvenile Justice System (Amendment) Bill, 2026; the Muslim Family Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026; and the Federal Prosecution Service (Amendment) Bill, 2026, at the request of the movers.
Niak directed the law division to pursue the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan for early submission of reports previously sought by the committee. Senators Shahadat Awan, Zamir Hussain Ghumro, Muhammad Tallal Badar, Kamran Murtaza and Samina Mumtaz Zehri attended the meeting.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026