ISLAMABAD, Oct 7: National Assembly standing committee on law, justice and human rights on Thursday approved the draft of Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2004.

Presiding over the meeting of the committee at the Parliament House, Rai Mansab Ali Khan remarked that the proposed amendments to the law were being made in the backdrop of honour killings and other crimes being committed in the name of honour and other similar customs.

Many cases in that respect are not even registered, properly prosecuted or cases are compounded, as a result the accused very often get away without any punishment or did not get adequate punishment.

The bill, he added, aimed at enhancing the punishment for honour killings as well as the level of police investigations. The members of the committee also observed that the law would help create deterrence for the honour-related killings.

The chairman directed the law secretary to incorporate the amendments proposed by the committee in the bill to be submitted before the National Assembly for passage.

The meeting was attended by Law Minister Wasi Zafar, Minister for Parliamentary Affair Sher Afgan Niazi, Minister of State for Defence Zahid Hamid, MNAs Kashmala Tariq, Abdul Mujeeb Pirzada, Mohammad Usman Advocate and officials of the ministry of law and justice.