Senate panel discusses bill on black magic, witchcraft

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Interior decided to consult the Islamic scholars regarding the bill relating to black magic, sorcery and witchcraft, while proposing formation of a government committee to carefully address the issue.

The Senate standing committee met with the chair of Senator Faisal Saleem Rahman here at Parliament House on Tuesday to deliberate on critical issues and address key bills, public petitions and security concerns.

The panel discussed Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri’s Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill regarding black magic, sorcery and witchcraft.The bill proposes to punish those who spread and propagate black magic with seven years in prison.

Senator Zehri raised concerns about the identification of madaris and their leaders, stressing that poverty and social distress often drive individuals to practices like sorcery.Senator Irfan Siddiqui raised the question of where the limits of black magic begin and where they end. “Their advertisements are published in newspapers every week,” he said.

Senator Faisal Saleem recommended consulting Islamic scholars and proposed the formation of a government committee to carefully address the issue.The committee also discussed the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill 2024, moved by Senator Fawzia Arshad, aimed at addressing the backlog of pending judicial cases.

Senator Fawzia emphasised that timely justice is a fundamental right.Following concerns about provinces’ reluctance, especially from Balochistan and Sindh, the committee decided to issue a reminder to the provinces and seek the Law Ministry’s opinion.

On the National Occupational Health and Safety Bill 2023, Senator Faisal Saleem pointed out that the bill overlaps with labour laws and suggested amending existing laws rather than introducing new legislation.

He recommended further consultations with the ministry to refine the bill.The Price Control and Prevention of Profiteering and Hoarding (Amendment) Bill 2024 was also discussed. Mover Senator Mohsin Aziz emphasised the severity of hoarding for profit and highlighted the need for provisions regarding the spoilage of goods.

He proposed that the value of commodities be based on market value and emphasised the importance of accurate information in controlling hoarding practices.The Islamabad chief commissioner said that if a five percent reward is given to an informer, it would be misused, and every person would keep an informer with him and make money.

Senator Irfan Siddiqui said that he also did not like rewarding the informer. He asked whether any punishment had been imposed on the informer for false information. “If someone gives false information, he should also be fined 10 percent instead of five percent,” he said.

Senator Faisal Saleem recommended the Islamabad Capital Territory authorities to further work on the bill and suggested penalties for violations.During the meeting, the Ministry of Narcotics Control officials told the committee that last drug survey was conducted in 2013; therefore, current number of drug users in the country could not be ascertained.

They told the panel that the survey exercise is expected to be completed in FY 2025-26. As per 2013Drug Survey Report, 6.7 million people between the ages of 15-64 years were using illicit drugs, including misuse of prescription drugs.

The committee noted that the matters related to the missing child case and the proposed merger of the Levies force with the Balochistan Police could not be discussed due to the absence of provincial officials from Balochistan.

The committee also discussed public petitions related to issues in Plot No 287, Sector I-12/2 and Sector E-11, Islamabad.The Federation of Employee Housing Scheme in E-11 filed a public petition highlighting unresolved issues, particularly the blocked access from Iran Avenue, which has hindered smooth connectivity to the area.

The road network in E-11 is described as convoluted, with multiple U-turns and zigzags, making navigation challenging for residents.The area has raised increasing concerns about safety and security, as it has become a hotspot for illegal activities.

Residents have called for better security measures and support from the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) authorities to address these growing concerns.The committee called for continued investigation and support from relevant authorities.

Closing the meeting, the chair expressed concern over the imposition of massive fines on vehicles with tinted windows, unauthorised fancy number plates, and unauthorised flash LED lights.He directed the relevant authorities to review the penalty structure and provide an update in the next meeting.

The meeting was attended by senators Irfan Siddiqui, Shahadat Awan, Fawzia Arshad, Naseema Ehsan, Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur, Samina Mumtaz Zehri, Umer Farooq, Palwasha Muhammad Zai Khan, Jam Saifullah Khan, Kamran Murtaza, Mohsin Aziz and Muhammad Abdul Qadir, along with senior officials from the Ministry of Interior and Capital Development Authority.