Senate sub-committee okays divorcee support bill
The bill was moved by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri and aims to reduce the impact of prolonged divorce cases on women with no source of income.
The meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice's Sub-Committee was held here on Monday which was chaired by Senator Zamir Hussain Ghumro.
The session reviewed the bill which had first been introduced in the Senate on September 9, 2024.
Committee members agreed that unresolved divorce cases in family courts often leave women and children without financial support for years. They pointed out that most affected women in the country lack independent income and face serious financial difficulties during court proceedings.
Senator Zehri explained that about 90 per cent of women in the country do not earn independently, and delays in maintenance decisions deepen their financial troubles. She said the bill aims to make courts set a fixed maintenance amount early on, to provide immediate relief.
The proposed law mandates courts to determine maintenance at the initial hearing. If the defendant fails to pay by the 14th of each month, their right to present a defense will be withdrawn. In that case, courts can pass a decision based on the complainant's claims and documents.
The additional secretary of the Ministry of Law and Justice noted that similar legal changes have already taken effect in Punjab. He added that the Ministry's role applies only to federal-level matters.
Senator Ghumro, who chaired the meeting, referred to Article 35 of the Constitution, which assigns the State the responsibility of protecting families, especially women and children. He said that failure to ensure financial support during divorce proceedings harms vulnerable families and weakens social protections.
Senator Anusha Rahman Ahmad Khan, who attended the meeting, backed the proposed law. She praised the initiative and urged the introduction of more such proposals to protect women's rights.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
4 hours ago
- Express Tribune
PTI rift threatens to unravel govt-op bonhomie
Listen to article The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) found itself in the throes of a growing internal rift on Saturday as rebel Senate candidates rejected the party's 'diktat' to withdraw their nomination papers, vowing instead to contest the July 21 polls in open defiance of an opposition-backed consensus deal. The development came as the government and opposition in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have struck a rare unity pact to ensure the victory of 11 agreed-upon Senate candidates in a move to sideline the party's rebels. PTI's political committee, meeting late Saturday night, endorsed a power-sharing agreement with the opposition and reaffirmed the list of official candidates issued by party founder Imran Khan. However, the move has triggered a backlash from sidelined aspirants, who accuse the leadership of capitulating to what they term an "establishment-sponsored deal". Despite the directive to withdraw, five rebel candidates, including Irfan Saleem, Khurram Zishan, Waqas Orakzai, former IG Irshad Hussain and Aisha Bano, stood their ground following internal consultations. In public statements and video messages, they declared they would not bow to what they alleged to be "political expediency" and "closed-door compromises". "This has gone far beyond the Senate elections," Khurram Zishan said in a defiant message. "We're being asked to hand over our trust to the very people who jailed our workers, tortured our elders, and stole our mandate via Form 47. We reject political wheeling and dealing. We are not playing politics ... we are waging resistance." Party pushes back, rebels dig in The party's political committee, while backing PTI Imran Khan's handpicked list, acknowledged internal objections, including to candidates like Mishal Yousafzai and Irfan Saleem, but said the founder's decisions were final. The committee warned dissidents that they could face disciplinary notices if they did not comply. PTI leadership has given the rebel candidates a deadline of 12 noon today to withdraw. However, the dissenters, emboldened by what they claim are 20 MPAs in contact with them, appear undeterred. Irfan Saleem accused PTI's leadership of forming an "unholy alliance" to install establishment-backed candidates. "We will not allow this taint on a legislature built on Imran Khan's name," he said. "Our resistance is not personal, it is ideological." Aisha Bano said the Senate seats were "a trust given to us by the party's workers and Khan himself," and would not be handed to those who "stole our mandate". "This is not just another election ... it's the front line of a movement," she said. Govt, opposition join forces to shut out rebels Meanwhile, sources confirmed that the government and opposition in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa have struck a rare unity pact to ensure the victory of 11 agreed-upon Senate candidates in a move to sideline the PTI rebels. Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and opposition leader Dr Ibadullah will jointly oversee the formation and coordination of seven special voting panels. Four of these will be supervised by provincial ministers, with the remaining three managed by opposition parliamentary leaders. Under the plan, government MPAs will be gathered at the CM House and dispatched in groups to cast votes under ministerial supervision. Opposition MPs will follow a similar strategy. Each panel will be instructed to vote for specific general, women, and technocrat candidates. The cooperation includes an accountability mechanism, with both sides agreeing to investigate if votes slip toward rebel candidates. A backup Plan B, involving delaying the election or swearing in new MPAs, was discussed but ultimately set aside due to a lack of consensus. Senior PTI leaders are expected to be present in the assembly during the vote, as are key opposition figures. Sources within the opposition expressed confidence in the arrangement. "We are satisfied with the government's commitment. All eleven candidates should win smoothly if the agreement holds," they said.
Express Tribune
4 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Speaker puts brakes on PTI MPAs disqualification move
Listen to article Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan apparently put the matter of PTI disqualifications to rest on Saturday by ruling the disqualification applications against 26 suspended lawmakers as non-maintainable, but by passing the buck to the judiciary and election tribunal. The sword of litigation still dangles over the suspended lawmakers, with the speaker making it clear that while his doors were not closed, the petitioners must first knock on the right ones, by securing a declaration from a court of competent jurisdiction before revisiting his office. In a move seen as a political de-escalation, the speaker has dismissed the applications filed against 26 suspended opposition lawmakers, following a successful round of talks between the treasury and opposition benches. A six-page ruling signed by the speaker outlines the rationale for rejecting the four separate applications, which sought to disqualify the PTI-affiliated MPAs over their disorderly and abusive conduct during the budget session. The move to dismiss the applications gained momentum after recent behind-the-scenes negotiations between government and opposition leaders bore fruit. According to sources, the reinstatement of the suspended MPAs is now expected soon. It is noteworthy that Speaker Khan had earlier suspended the 26 PTI lawmakers under Rule 210(3) of the Rules of Procedure of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab, 1997, following their disruption of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz's speech on June 27. In his detailed ruling, Speaker Khan noted: "Though serious legal and constitutional violations, including constitutional oath, have been alleged by the applicants, these violations first need to be established in a court or tribunal of competent jurisdiction before I could decide whether a question of qualification has arisen in terms of Article 63(2) of the Constitution and refer the question to the Election Commission of Pakistan." "The people are the source of all power, and through their vote, they confer trust — not to be undone without the gravest reasons. To disqualify a representative is not merely to silence a voice — it is to disenfranchise people. For an elected House is not only a chamber of laws; it is the echo of the people's will. That voice must not be silenced," he added. The speaker ruled that references to past cases, such as the Panama Papers and other disqualification jurisprudence under Articles 199 and 184(3) of the Constitution, were not valid in the current context. Such petitions, he noted, could undermine freedom of speech in the House and nullify the opposition's presence. Article 19 protects robust debate — even if abrasive — subject to reasonable legal restrictions. "These restrictions are found in our Rules, not in threats of permanent disqualification. Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law, the Assembly must remain a forum where dissent is voiced, not extinguished," the ruling stated. Speaker Khan stressed that the welfare of the electorate is best preserved when the House handles internal disorder itself, without disenfranchising voters' chosen representatives. He also expressed concern about many members' lack of familiarity with assembly rules, legislative processes, and the effective use of standing committees. He called for targeted training to uphold parliamentary supremacy and democratic accountability. "As elected representatives, we must legislate responsibly, put an end to political victimisation, and work together to uphold the supremacy of the people's Assembly and protect our democracy. Political parties are, after all, the true guardians of democracy and the responsibility to uphold the democratic functioning of the House lies with all of them collectively," the speaker added. He called for inter-party dialogue reminiscent of the Charter of Democracy to ensure the Assembly functions effectively as a space for public interest and genuine debate. Referring to political theory, Khan noted: "Modern societies are built upon dialogue; as Jürgen Habermas wrote, 'The public sphere is that realm of our social life in which something approaching public opinion can be formed,' underscoring that free, inclusive and reasoned discourse within parliaments forms the bedrock of democratic communities. Safeguarding this vital exchange of ideas is indispensable for our collective democratic future." In a strong critique of constitutional clauses historically used to undermine democracy, Speaker Khan declared: "As Speaker and a political worker, I firmly oppose anti-democratic constitutional provisions. This includes the infamous Article 58(2)(b), and Articles 62 and 63, all imposed by authoritarian dictators, notably General Zia-ul-Haq. These Articles have historically been weaponised to unjustly target elected politicians. We must end this vicious cycle; the Panama Case cannot become another tool like Article 58(2)(b). Otherwise, we succumb to Nietzschean nihilism, believing time is a flat circle and we are condemned to repeat mistakes." He asserted that misuse of these Articles undermines the constitutional right to political association and representation under Article 17. Disqualifying elected representatives on allegations or technicalities violates the presumption of innocence, disenfranchises voters and erodes the legitimacy of parliament. "The disqualification of elected representatives has deep roots in Pakistan's history. Early examples are the Public Representative Offices Disqualification Act 1949, and Elective Bodies Disqualification Order (EBDO) 1959. These 'backdoor tools' have consistently served non-democratic elements," the speaker stated. He criticised political parties for occasionally abetting such practices, citing the Panama "show trial" as an example of judicial overreach that continues to affect the political landscape through undemocratic means. "This destructive chain must be broken," Speaker Khan emphasised. "The very fact that the Constitution has been exploited this way means such challenging questions can be, and have been raised." He called upon the federal parliament to remove such dictatorial remnants from the Constitution to reclaim democratic values. Concluding his remarks, Speaker Khan affirmed: "During my tenure as Speaker, I will work to uphold parliamentary rule and the principles of representative constitutional democracy, as envisioned by our great Islamic Republic's founding fathers."
Business Recorder
8 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Senate polls in KP: Members defying party line face expulsion: PTI
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Saturday said it would take strict disciplinary action, including possible expulsions, against party members defying internal decisions ahead of Senate elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. PTI acting chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan told reporters that several dissenting members failed to appear at a scheduled meeting a day ago and had ignored directives to withdraw their nominations. 'The Chief Minister [Gandapur] and I waited for them, but they did not come,' he said. The party has referred the issue to its political committee, which, following internal consultations, instructed dissenting candidates to pull out by Sunday. 'If they fail to comply, action will be taken under party discipline,' Gohar said, adding that the individuals in question hold formal positions within PTI. 13 vacant seats in KP, Punjab: ECP to hold Senate polls this month The internal rift comes as PTI seeks to consolidate control in the Senate through unopposed elections in the provincial assembly. According to party sources, veteran PTI members, including Irfan Saleem, Ayesha Bano, Waqas Orakzai, and Khurram Zeeshan, voiced dissatisfaction over the allocation of Senate tickets, accusing the leadership of sidelining long-time workers. Despite the unrest, the party's political committee has approved a plan for unopposed elections in the province. A declaration following the committee's meeting stated that all candidates had withdrawn their papers after resolving differences with party leaders. PTI leadership said the decision, taken in consultation with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa parliamentary party, aimed to curb vote buying and selling - an issue that has marred past Senate polls in the country. The final list of PTI-backed candidates includes Murad Saeed, Faisal Javed, Mirza Afridi, and Noorul Haq Qadri for general seats. Rubina Naz was nominated for the women's reserved seat, Azam Swati for the technocrat seat, and Mishal Yousafzai for the seat vacated by former senator Sania Nishtar. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
