ISLAMABAD: The last session of the current Senate begins on Friday (today) to take up important items, including a strong anti-rape law seeking to ensure speedy justice to victims and stern punishment for culprits.

The chairman of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Law and Justice, Mohamamd Kazim Khan of PPP, would present before the house a report on the bill which would amend the Pakistan Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Qanoon-i-Shahadat Order, according to a 10-point agenda issued by the Senate secretariat for the session. The committee had unanimously approved a draft of the bill on Feb 19. The bill had been moved by PPP’s Sughra Imam last year. Both Kazim Khan and Sughra Imam are among the 52 senators retiring on March 11.

Talking to Dawn, Ms Imam expressed the hope that the government would not object to the passage of bill as its draft had been unanimously approved by the committee and some of the government’s suggestions had been incorporated in it.

She said that another bill moved by her on “honour killings” had also been passed by the Senate’s interior committee and hoped that it would also be adopted by the house before March 11.

During the current session, members are expected to complete a debate on the June 2, 2014 address of President Mamnoon Hussain to the joint session of parliament.

The session starting from Friday will be the farewell session for those retiring next month after completion of their six-year term.

Polling to elect new senators is scheduled to be held on March 5 in the national and provincial assemblies.

During the 12th parliamentary year, which commenced on March 12 last year, the Senate passed 10 bills, including the one that paved the way for the establishment of military courts.

The Senate comprises 104 members — 23 each from the four federating units, eight from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and four from Islamabad.

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2015

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