ISLAMABAD: A Senate committee on Wednesday passed a bill suggesting legal action should not be taken against those who attempt suicide and that they should instead be treated as patients because people try killing themselves due to chemical changes in the brain.

The Criminal Law Amendment Bill 2017, which was tabled by Senator Karim Khawaja, was passed by the Senate Standing Committee on Interior though its chairman, Rehman Malik, was hesitant to do so in the committee’s last meeting.

During the last meeting, Mr Malik had sought the opinion of a representative of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII). The representative had said that the CII cannot give its opinion as it does not have a head.Even in Wednesday’s meeting, Mr Malik said this is a sensitive issue and that there was a possibility of strong reaction from some segments when the bill is passed.

The bill suggests legal action should not be taken against those who try to kill themselves

However, the physiatrists who were invited to comment on the issue said the bill has nothing to do with religion and that the bill was aimed at helping those who try to kill themselves.

Physiatrist Dr Haroon Ahmed said committing suicide is considered a crime and that the bill deals with those who survive such attempts.

“Committing suicide was a crime in the UK once but in 1961, its parliament passed a bill saying those who try to kill themselves should be sent to a psychiatrist. In March this year, India has done the same thing,” he said.

Dr Ahmed said people try to commit suicide due to stress and because of chemical changes in the brain and that this should be considered a disease.

Another psychiatrist, Dr Malik Mubashir, said biochemical changes occur in the brain due to depression.

“People with depression face a number of issues such as sleep, lack of peace of mind, lack of interest etc. It should be treated as a disease,” he said.

Dr Modawat Rana, also a psychiatrist, said a mentally ill person does not care about punishments.

“Punishment encourages those who are mentally unwell to commit suicide because they think that if they survive, they will be sent to jail. Society is supporting the disease and not the patient,” he said.

He added that the bill also includes sections on the rehabilitation of patients and that it should be passed in the interests of people.

Senator Rubina Khalid said mortality rate was increasing due to fear of punishment and that people cover up for family members who try to kill themselves and they therefore do not get the required medical treatment.

Mr Malik said that because Islam is silent on the issue of those who survive suicide attempts, the bill can be considered for voting and after seeking the opinion of members, the committee passed the bill.

CCTV for business centres

After making a few amendments, the committee also approved The Islamabad Capital Territory Shops and Business and Industrial Establishments (Security) Amendment Bill, 2017 which was moved by Senator Azam Khan Swati.

The bill suggests all business centres and shops have to install CCTV cameras and that five shops can install one camera such that it covers all of them.

If the bill is passed, shopkeepers can face imprisonment of up to one month and a fine of up to Rs100,000 if they do not install CCTV cameras.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2017