Twitter is in an uproar after news broke that the government has sent the Domestic Violence Protection and Prevention Bill, 2021 to the Council of Islamic Ideology for review.
In a letter dated July 5, 2021, Babar Awan, the adviser to the prime minister on parliamentary affairs, pointed out that the bill, initially passed by the National Assembly in April, was referred back to the Lower House of Parliament after the Senate suggested amendments to the proposed law.
The letter states that concerns have been raised “regarding various definitions and other contents of the bill.”
Well done PM: On the instructions of PM @ImranKhanPTI Mr Babar Awan today wrote a letter to Speaker NA and suggested to refer the highly controversial Domestic Violence Bill to Council of Islamic Ideology for its consideration in the light of Islamic teachings. pic.twitter.com/uFYth2srkG
— Ansar Abbasi (@AnsarAAbbasi) July 5, 2021
The bill defines domestic violence as “all acts of physical, emotional, psychological, sexual and economic abuse committed by a respondent against women, children, vulnerable persons, or any other person with whom the respondent is or has been in a domestic relationship that causes feat, physical or psychological harm to the aggrieved person”. On Twitter, it has been praised for being wide-ranging and extensive.
The bill was initially moved by Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari on April 19 and is only going to apply to Islamabad. Sindh, KP and Punjab all have their own laws against domestic violence.
The news that the bill was being sent to the CII sent shockwaves across Twitter as people couldn’t understand why.
Many took issue with the fact that there is no female representation on the CII, despite it being mandated by Article 228 of the Constitution.
Will any of you be writing letters expressing your concern over the fact that while Article 228 requires at least one woman on the Council, it consists of 12 men?
— Salaar Khan (@Brainmasalaar) July 5, 2021
Are you mildly concerned that, even otherwise, Snow White and the seven dwarves had better female representation? https://t.co/DWsCQZO6FX
This move must be completely rejected, because the Council of Islamic Ideology does not include a single woman.
— Usama Khilji (@UsamaKhilji) July 5, 2021
How can a council of all men decide on a Domestic Violence Bill which overwhelmingly concerns women? https://t.co/01jApYAqj4 pic.twitter.com/7uiBBPE3JL
There was little women representation throughout the process, except Mazari who put forward the bill.
– Domestic Violence = Crime committed by Men
— Sanjay (@NotSoWiseMann) July 5, 2021
– Men challenging the bill proposed to prevent it so they can keep the RIGHT to commit this crime legally
– PM agreeing to get suggestion on the bill from a bunch of other Men!
Jo is crime ke victim hai unki bhi sunlo!!!!
Many people believed the bill was comprehensive enough to terrify men.
This bill is so comprehensive 👏 Wonderful job done by our lawmakers.
— A (@Bhuut_) July 4, 2021
If this actually gets implemented, more than half of Pakistani men would be in jail.
No wonder they are terrified by this. pic.twitter.com/SGDB9JQNJR
This bill is amazing. Its detailed, thorough and covers all the bases when defining ‘domestic violence’. No wonder the mullahs and men have a problem with it. They don’t want their way of life to be criminalized.
— ⚡️ (@Scrivenshaft_) July 4, 2021
It needs to be protected and implemented in it’s entirety. pic.twitter.com/VHXRrsbyR7
Others took on the notion that it was “against Pakistan’s culture” and gave the internet a wakeup call.
“we reject domestic violence bill because it is against our culture” trending is so apt because culture is acid attacks, sexual violence, marital rape, honour killing, beating wife in public without intervention from spectators yet national outrage over displays of affection.
— 🦩 (@qauseqazza) July 4, 2021
Some believe the law may be weakened by any further amendments.
1/2 Babar Awan has written to NA Speaker, advising the ISB Domestic Violence Bill be referred to the Council of Islamic Ideology to review its consistency with Islam
— Reema Omer (@reema_omer) July 5, 2021
PTI did the same with the domestic violence bill in KP, resulting in the most diluted, weak law in the country
One Twitter user wanted to know what was so objectionable about the bill in the first place.
‘We reject domestic violence bill’ is trending but none of the tweets associated with it actually explain why they reject it? Simply stating it is ‘against Islam’ & ‘against Pak culture’ isn’t sufficient. I don’t understand. How is condemning woman/child abuse even up for debate?
— d kamal (@daanistan) July 4, 2021
Actor Osman Khalid Butt was left nonplussed by the news.
Why is there an extremely disturbing hashtag calling to reject the domestic violence bill – one that's already passed by the senate?
— Osman Khalid Butt (@aClockworkObi) July 3, 2021
What is so controversial about this bill?
This isn't a rhetorical question.
— Osman Khalid Butt (@aClockworkObi) July 3, 2021
I'm seeing stuff like 'khandani nizam ki tabahi', 'promoting boyfriend/girlfriend culture', 'this bill is breaking our family system' …
I'm truly at a loss here.
Actor and author Mira Sethi believed the government does not priorities protecting women.
