2 private member bills sail through NA smoothly.

ISLAMABAD -- The National Assembly on Tuesday passed two private member bills including the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020 and the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils (Amendment) Bill, 2021 as reported by the standing committees.

The bills were piloted by Moulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali and Dr Nafisa Shah in the House respectively.

The statement of objects and reasons of the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020 says that a few people are involved in blasphemy on the internet and social media etc, and they upload such pages and messages covertly.

However, due to Capital Punishment in section 298c, the ratio of people involved in blasphemy of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is very low. The fact may be observed that disrespecting the Companion of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and other sacred personalities not only promotes terrorism and disruption in the country but also hurts people from all walks of life.

In section 298-A of the Pakistan Penal Code, the punishment against the person who disrespects the wives, family and Companions of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), is imprisonment for a minimum of three years period along with a nominal penalty while this is a bailable crime.

Due to this simple punishment, the criminals, despite, the punishment, commit the same crime again. Hence, due to such simple punishment, the people try on their own to punish the criminal which increases the violence.

It is the responsibility of...