ISLAMABAD: Punjab and Balochistan have supported a proposed amendment to Pakistan Penal Code (Amendment) Bill with Sindh opposing, citing inconsistencies with sections 53 and 57.

The Senate Subcommittee on Interior held a meeting chaired by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri at Parliament House to discuss the bill moved by Senator Mohsin Aziz.

The committee also deliber-ated on provinces` stances regarding the bill. According to a press release, Punjab and Balochistan supported the bill while Sindh opposed it.

Sindh argued that the proposed punishment in section 376(3) would be impractical without amending to align it with the prescribed types and fractions of imprisonment.

The committee members unanimously agreed to amend the punishment to include: `or imprisonment for life but shall not be less than 25 years, along with fine that shall not be lessthan 1 million rupees.

The meeting was attended by Senator Mohsin Aziz and Senator Jam Saifullah Khan, the Special Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, and Senior Draftsman from the Ministry of Law and Justice.

Senator Mohsin Aziz emphasised the devastating impact of sexual assaults on victims and highlighted the critical need for the proposed amendment.

Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri while supporting this viewpoint expressed concern over societal cruelty toward rapevictims.

She also objected to the inclusion of terms such as `physical condition` in the explanations provided by the chief commissioner Islamabad, which stated: `The existing punishment in sub-section (3) is sufficient as there may be many mitigating circumstances like age, material, or physical condition.

She argued that the term `physical condition` is inappropriate, adding individuals capable of committing heinous crimes like rape cannot use such conditions as mitigating factors.