- Senate standing committee seeks to amend Article 153.
- Farooq Naek urges gender inclusion in Islamic bodies.
- CSS quota bill for Balochistan faces legal hurdle.
ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice has referred the Constitutional (Amendment) Bill, 2025 — which seeks to amend Article 153 to ensure women’s representation in the Council of Common Interests (CCI) — to the prime minister, who heads the CCI, The News reported.
A separate amendment bill introduced by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, proposing changes to Article 228 for women’s inclusion in the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), was deferred, with the committee deciding to wait for the CII’s formal feedback.
Chaired by Senator Farooq Hamid Naek, the committee held detailed deliberations on key constitutional and legal reforms aimed at strengthening justice, equality, and women’s rights in Pakistan.
Chairman Senator Farooq H. Naek strongly supported the principle of gender inclusion. He stated, “The Council of Islamic Ideology must benefit from women’s theological wisdom and input. Out of 20 members, at least three should mandatorily be women to maintain balance.”
The Ministry of Law clarified that the current membership criteria are not gender-specific. However, it acknowledged that fixed representation could be mandated through legislation.
The committee recommended referring the issue of Article 153 to the prime minister and also requested formal feedback from the CII on the proposed amendment to Article 228. It also discussed the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2025 (Amendment of Article 27), introduced by Senator Mohammad Abdul Qadir, which seeks to increase the CSS quota for students from Balochistan.
Chairman Senator Farooq H. Naek advised that the bill be withdrawn, citing a Supreme Court judgment and a proviso provided by the Ministry regarding changes in civil service laws and rules.
He suggested that such changes should be enacted through an Act of Parliament rather than by amending the Constitution, as this would be a faster and more practical route. Senator Abdul Qadir appreciated the guidance but requested time to study the court’s judgment before deciding on withdrawal. The matter was deferred to the next meeting.
Extensive deliberations were also held on the Pakistan Penal Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025, introduced by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri, which proposes amendments to Sections 323, 330, and 331. The bill aims to secure justice for victims of accidental killings and their legal heirs.
Committee members praised Senator Zehri’s intent and stressed that no law should contradict the teachings of the Holy Quran. They highlighted the importance of ensuring equality for both the convict and the heirs of the deceased, particularly in cases of unintentional killings involving families with limited financial means.
The Ministry of Law informed the committee that the views of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) on the matter are still awaited.
The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2024, introduced by Senator Aon Abbas, was also deferred.
