Islamabad: The Senate of Pakistan today passed the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill, 2025, originally introduced in the National Assembly by PPP MNA Sharmila Faruqui and tabled in the Senate by Senator Sherry Rehman.

Senator Rehman described the legislation as a 'lifeline for survivors across Pakistan,' emphasizing that domestic violence is a public emergency, not a private matter. She recalled that the Pakistan Peoples Party first introduced similar legislation in 2004 and highlighted the urgent need for accountability and protection of vulnerable individuals.

According to national mapping of Gender-Based Violence in 2024, Pakistan recorded 32,617 cases of GBV, including 2,238 incidents of domestic violence, yet the conviction rate for domestic violence was only 1.3%. In Islamabad Capital Territory alone, 220 cases were reported, including 22 domestic violence incidents - without a single conviction.

The bill covers all forms of domestic violence, including physical, emotional, psychological, sexual, and economic abuse, and protects women, men, transgender persons, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. It also criminalizes acts such as obsessive jealousy, stalking, harassment, threats, false accusations, and willful abandonment. Sexual abuse includes acts that degrade or humiliate, while economic abuse covers deprivation of financial resources.

The legislation provides survivors the right to remain in their homes or seek refuge with a service provider offering legal, medical, financial, or other support. Where the Penal Code does not already criminalize an act, the bill prescribes six months to one year imprisonment and a fine of Rs100,000, with at least Rs20,000 paid directly to the survivor. Anyone aiding or abetting abuse faces the same penalties.

Senator Rehman stressed that passing the law is only the first step. She called for structural reforms, including police sensitization, judicial training, witness protection, and monitoring mechanisms, to ensure effective enforcement.

Highlighting systemic failures in addressing gender-based violence, she cited statistics from 2024:

32,617 GBV cases nationwide

Domestic violence: 2,238 cases (1.3% conviction)

Rape: 5,339 cases (0.5% conviction)

Kidnapping and abduction: 24,439 cases (0.1% conviction)

Honour killings: 547 cases (0.5% conviction)

She noted that despite 480 specialized GBV courts, high backlogs and underreporting persist, with 70% of cases going unreported due to fear and victim-blaming. On average, daily incidents in Pakistan include 67 kidnappings, 19 rapes, 6 domestic violence cases, and 2 honour killings, with survivors largely denied justice.

Senator Rehman concluded that survivors need timely medico-legal support, trained investigators, effective prosecution, and a justice system that delivers, warning that laws alone cannot protect the vulnerable without enforcement.