Bill to decriminalise suicide bid sails through Senate

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Monday unanimously passed key bill on decriminalisation of those, who attempt suicide due to depression or any other reason, and sought from the state their protection.

The bill envisages that the survivors of suicide attempts should be provided treatment and not be awarded any punishment. Under Section 325 of the Pakistan Penal Code, both suicide and attempted suicide are considered criminal offences, with the latter punishable either by a jail term of up to a year, or a fine, or both. The Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill 2017, moved by Senator Karim Khawaja of PPP and already cleared by the Senate Standing Committee on Interior, proposes that the survivors of suicide attempts should be provided treatment and not awarded punishment as they try to commit suicide because of chemical changes in their brain, which is a disease.

The House unanimously adopted a resolution, jointly moved by senators, belonging to various parties and independent senators from Fata, recommending to the government for the process of delimitations of constituencies in Fata for next general election be stopped and the elections 2018 be held as per the previous delimitation in the region. Senators Sajid Hussain Turi, Farhatulalh Babar,Karim Khawaja, Mir Kabeer, Tahir Hussain Mashhadi and Usman Kakar and others cited various reasons, including large number of temporarily displaced persons, yet to return to the region and showing far less population of Fata. Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani sought views of Leader of Opposition Aitzaz Ahsan, who also said that the constitution did not bar the government from holding polls as such. He added like other provinces, number of seats in Fata were neither to be increased nor decreased, therefore, without making it a precedent, polls be held as per previous delimitation.

The criminalisation of suicidal behaviour is one of the main reasons that people do not seek help for the psychological problem that may have precipitated the act. Senator Karim’s bill to amend the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1860 was also unanimously adopted by the House, which has massively enhanced punishment for those, who resort to cruelty with animals, like burdening them with excessive load or arrange fights of various animals for fun.

He said that during the British rule, the law was amended thrice but it was for the first time, the law was amended in Pakistan. PPP Senator Khalida Parveen’s resolution was passed by 14 votes to nine while three opted for abstention. It calls for promotion of Chinese language in Pakistan, keeping in view the growing Pak-China collaboration under CPEC, along with other regional Pakistani languages.

JI Senator Sirajul Haq’s bill to further amend the Pakistan Penal Code (amendment of sections 292, 293 and 294 of PPC and Schedule-II of Cr.PC) was also adopted, which provides for punishment to those, who are above the age of 20 years and indulge in sending indecent content to others. Senators from across the aisle, onely spoke on the increasing incidents of kidnapping of children, rapes and murders and called for reforming the police and urging the courts to take special interests in cases, involving violence and crimes against children. They contended that lack of punishment or no punishment and delay in provision of justice to victims had also contributed to increase in such crimes against kids. Some senators blamed parents for not paying due attention to upbringing and training of their children and not educating them properly about Islam and its teachings. The motion for discussion was moved by PPP’s Senator Sehar Kamran. State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry apprised the House of the measures being taken to arrest this gory trend and insisted that it was a collective responsibility to protect children.