ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution urging the government to launch an immediate and transparent investigation into the brutal killing of a man and woman in Balochistan.
The resolution called for bringing all perpetrators — including those who convened or sanctioned any jirga — to justice without delay.
Moved by PPP parliamentary leader Sherry Rehman, the resolution condemned so-called honour killings as acts of murder under the law, rejecting any justification based on cultural, tribal or traditional notions of ‘ghairat’ (honour). It was supported by all parties except the JUIF.
The House stressed that informal justice systems like jirgas must not override constitutional protections and stressed the urgent need to strengthen enforcement of laws against honour crimes. It noted that despite previous legislative reforms — including banning conciliation in such cases — implementation remains weak, particularly in high-profile incidents involving women.
The resolution urged the Ministry of Law and Justice and the Ministry of Human Rights to identify enforcement gaps and recommend urgent legal and procedural reforms. It also called for training law enforcement officials and prosecutors to handle honour crimes and gender-based violence with sensitivity and seriousness.
“This premeditated act of vigilante murders is an abhorrent crime and a gross violation of human rights, the Constitution and Pakistan’s laws,” the resolution read.
Speaking in the debate, PPP Senator Sarmad Ali said the rootcause lies in entrenched feudal and tribal mindsets across all tiers of society. He called for legislation to abolish the jirga system and urged action against the sexual exploitation of children in religious seminaries.
Earlier, 11 newly elected senators were sworn in, amid slogan-chanting in favour of their respective leaders.
The Senate also passed a bill to establish an independent Whistleblower Protection and Vigilance Commission, aimed at safeguarding whistleblowers from retaliation and incentivising the exposure of corruption in public institutions.
The commission, to be headquartered in Islamabad, will operate as an autonomous body with powers equivalent to a civil court. It will be empowered to assess complaints, conduct judicial proceedings and issue binding orders to authorities in cases of victimisation of whistleblowers.
Under the bill, whistleblowers who provide credible information leading to the recovery of public funds will be entitled to 20pc of the recovered amount and a certificate of appreciation. At the same time, the legislation introduces strict penalties for false or frivolous complaints, including imprisonment of up to two years, a fine of up to Rs200,000, or both. The fine amount will be awarded to the person falsely accused.
To ensure the safety of whistleblowers, the bill guarantees strict confidentiality of their identities. Unauthorised disclosure of a whistleblower’s identity will be punishable by a fine of Rs500,000 and up to two years’ imprisonment.
The Senate also passed the Pakistan Navy (Amendment) Bill, introducing sweeping changes to the Pakistan Navy Ordinance to align naval operations with national development, strategic interests and modern security threats.
The amended law empowers the Navy to participate in activities related to national development or strategic objectives with prior approval from the federal or provincial governments. It also grants the naval command greater authority over personnel matters, including accepting or rejecting resignations, discharging or retiring individuals, and retaining personnel above 60 years of age during wartime, based on the Naval Chief’s recommendation.
The bill significantly enhances penal provisions, introducing strict punishments for acts deemed harmful to operational integrity or discipline. Naval officers failing to defend ships or assets, showing cowardice, or abandoning ships in danger may face the death penalty or long-term imprisonment.
Crucially, the amendments extend jurisdiction to cover electronic, digital, and social media offences, especially those committed with the intent to malign or undermine the armed forces. Any current or former naval personnel found guilty under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 or similar laws may be punished accordingly.
Additionally, those who intentionally ridicule or attempt to lower the reputation of the armed forces could face up to two years in prison, a fine, or both, upon conviction under naval court procedures.
Meanwhile, Minister for Power Awais Ahmad Leghari rejected reports that Nepra had approved a multi-year tariff allowing K-Electric to recover its losses from bill-paying consumers. He clarified that the media reports were based on hearsay and related to the financial year 2023-24, when the current government was not in office.
Responding to a calling attention notice by Senator Faisal Ali Sabzwari, Leghari said the reported information was based on a leaked, unofficial version of the Auditor General’s report, which had yet to be finalised.
Senator Sabzwari had raised concerns over Nepra’s alleged approval of a tariff structure that unfairly burdens responsible consumers with the cost of K-Electric’s recovery losses.
The House was adjourned until Friday morning.