KARACHI, Oct 5: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s bid to sneak in a private bill pertaining to domestic violence during the question hour in the Sindh Assembly on Friday was aborted by the paucity of time.

MQM MPA Faisal Sabzwari had sought permission from Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah to move the private bill while the question hour was still in progress. However, Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Nisar Khuhro said that the bill could not be taken out of turn during the question hour.

Prior to the session, Mr Sabzwari, accompanied by senior Minister Syed Sardar Ahmad, had met the PPP leader in his chamber to solicit his party’s support for the bill.

Through this bill the mover seeks the appointment of Justices of the Peace in each district as necessary under Section 22-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898.

The bill proposes the appointment of protection officers by the district government in each district. The protection officer could, on the directives of the JP, on a suo motu basis or on the basis of information received from any person under Sub-Section (1) of Section 8, shall decide, after preliminary enquiries, whether action should be taken.

But there is a serious ambiguity with regard to the powers of the protection officer who, according to the draft, “may take assistance of any person while exercising his powers or discharging his duties under this act.”

The use of the word “any person” is cause of concern because it does not specify such persons.

Every protection officer, when acting or purporting to act under this act, shall be deemed to be a public servant within the meaning of Section 21of the PPC (Act XLV of 1860).

The draft also spells out the procedure for obtaining a protection order.

Mr Sabzwari’s bill envisages providing timely relief and civil remedies to families and domestic servants through JPs.

It notes that domestic violence has developed into a pattern of coercive behaviour, including physical, sexual and psychological harassment and attacks, as well as economic and social coercion against relatives, partners and domestic servants, including the haris of landowners and female employees serving in the private or public sector.

But these abuses are seldom reported to the police or brought before court.

The draft seeks to encourage the aggrieved to seek expeditious justice from the legal forum without any hassle.