Standing Committee on Interior conditionally approves Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2016

A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics on Tuesday adopted the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2016 conditionally.

The amended act aims to penalise people found offering authorities false information as well as providing false information at the time of filing a First-Information Report.

Senators from Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf during a meeting of the standing committee suggested a penalty of up to Rs50,000 be imposed on those found guilty.

However, Senator Rehman Malik, who chaired the meeting, suggested the fine be raised to Rs500,000.

Additionally, the committee suggested the punishment for officers found negligent should be extended from three months to three years. Rehman Malik was of the view that the law should be applicable to civil servants as well as police and officials in the intelligence agencies.

The committee further agreed electronic devices would be accepted as legal evidence under the bill.

The standing committee also agreed upon the formation of a subcomittee to oversee the formation of a bill outlawing physical punishment on children.

Senators at the meeting agreed that the law should be applicable to schools run by the federal government.