LAHORE: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Dr Kareem Khawaja presented a bill in the Senate on Monday regarding an amendment in Criminal Laws 2017.
He demanded an end to the punishment for suicide attempt and suggested that it is better to treat the patients to help them recover from traumas and depression.
Senate chairman, however, postponed the bill and suggested that being a ‘Shari issue’, it must be dealt with the Council of Islamic Ideology. A heated debate on the issue followed this in the session.
Khawaja argued that suicide often results from depression and trauma and these psychological issues need proper treatment instead of jail.
Lawmakers of both Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and PPP partook in the discussion. Senator Taj Haider said that soaring suicide cases in the country mean that the state had failed. Law Minister Zaid Hamid argued that before passing the bill in Senate it must be sent to the relevant committee for approval since the issue of suicide is a critical one because the act itself is haram (illegal) in Islam.
PPP Senator Rehman Malik supported the bill and said that those attempt suicide should be sent for treatment.
Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani concluded the session by saying that the bill cannot be passed without consent of Council of Islamic Ideology.
