ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly has passed a proposed legislation to “address and significantly” reduce domestic violence in the Islamabad Capital Territory by establishing a comprehensive legal framework to protect the victims.

The bill, approved on Thursday along with four other bills, was criticised by the JUI-F lawmakers, who questioned the haste with which the proposed legislation had been passed.

The bill, which was tabled by Sharmila Farooqui of the PPP, is now required to be passed by the Senate to formally become an act of the parliament.

The Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill 2025 aims to establish an effective system of protection, relief and rehabilitation of women, men, transgender persons, children and any vulnerable person against domestic violence.

Bill passed by NA proposes three-year imprisonment for offenders, offers comprehensive legal framework for victims

It also defines domestic violence, outlines preventive measures, and provides accessible legal help, besides holding perpetrators accountable through stringent penalties for their actions.

According to the bill, domestic violence includes “physical, emotional, psychological, sexual and economic abuse … against women, men, transgender [people], children, vulnerable persons, or any other person with whom the respondent is or has been in a domestic relationship that causes fear, physical or psychological harm to the aggrieved person”.

The bill passed by the lower house of parliament cites data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, saying one in three women in Pakistan experiences some form of domestic abuse during their lifetime.

If the offence does not fall under the PPC, the act shall be punishable with simple imprisonment of a maximum period of three years and not less than six months and a fine of up Rs100,000 to be paid to the aggrieved person. In case of default of payment of fine, the court may award simple imprisonment of three months.

Similarly, whoever aids or abets the commission of an offence of domestic violence shall be punished with the same punishment provided for the offence, the proposed legislation added. If an aggrieved person moves the court, the court shall fix the first date of hearing within seven days and with or without issuing an interim order shall issue a notice upon the person complained against. The petition shall be decided within a period of 90 days and any adjournment shall be granted for reasons to be recorded in writing by the court.

The bill also provides the aggrieved person the right to reside in the shared household, but also says that the person may choose to reside in the house or in a shelter home arranged by any service provider.

According to the bill, the court can grant an interim order at any time and stage of the petition.

“If the court is satisfied that a petition prima facie discloses that the respondent has committed an act of domestic violence or that there is a likelihood that the respondent may commit an act of domestic violence, it may issue order on the basis of an affidavit of the aggrieved person or any other evidence or material…”.

In such a case, it can also pass a protection order in favour of the aggrieved person, directing the respondent not to commit any further act of domestic violence, not to have any communication in any form or manner with the aggrieved person. The order will also ask the respondent to stay away from the aggrieved person and even move out of the house in case of an act of grave violence.

The court can also restrain the respondent from dispossessing or in any other manner disturbing the possession of the aggrieved person from the household. It can also restrain the respondent or any of his or her relatives from entering the household. As per the bill, the court may require from the respondent to execute a bond, with or without sureties, for preventing the commission of domestic violence.

The bill also envisions a protection committee, comprising a representative of the “Family Protection and rehabilitation centre a representative of the National Commission on the Status of Women, a medical doctor or psychologist or psycho­ social worker, a law officer, and a police officer not below the rank of Inspector, preferably female, or any other officer (s) designate by the Ministry of Human Rights, is as may be prescribed by the rules and a Protection Officer who shall also act as the secretary of the protection committee”.

Published in Dawn, November 16th, 2025