Pakistan parliament passes bill criminalising torture, custodial deaths

The Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention and Punishment) Bill, 2021 was adopted by the Senate, the upper house of bicameral parliament.

Pakistan’s parliament on July 12 passed a bill criminalising torture and preventing custodial killings by police or other government officials. The Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention and Punishment) Bill, 2021 was adopted by the Senate, the upper house of bicameral parliament. It was moved by Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Sherry Rehman and Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari supported it. It states that any public servant involved in torture would face up to 10 years imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs. 2 million. If a public servant, whose duty it is to prevent torture, either intentionally or negligently fails to prevent it, he/she will face up to five years imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs. 1 million, it adds.