Laws against Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence

When it comes to Domestic violence laws, each province has it’s own set of legal statutes addressing this issue with the exception of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. For the purposes of this section we have tried to assemble laws concerning domestic violence in various parts of Pakistan – although it should be kept in mind that these laws have a similar content with some variations.

Sindh & Balochistan: Domestic Violence Laws

The laws of Sindh and Balochistan have a very detailed definition of the ‘Domestic Violence’, whence this definition can include emotional, psychological and verbal abuse; harassment; physical abuse; stalking; sexual abuse; trespass; economic abuse; wrongful confinement; criminal force; criminal intimidation; assault; etc. Furthermore these laws also include information about the protection committees and the appointment of officers to these committees. Please click here to read in-depth on the Sindh Domestic Violence Act, and click here to read up on the Balochistan Domestic Violence Act.

Punjab Protection of Women against Violence Bill, 2016

The passing of the Punjab Protection of Women against Violence Bill in 2016 protects women against a whole varieties of crimes. These crimes include protection against domestic, emotional, psychological and economic abuse, stalking and also cyber crimes. Furthermore for the first time in the history of Pakistan, this bill includes an implementation mechanisms through the district of Violence Against Women Centres (VAWs), court orders and also has clauses about the GPS tracking of offenders to enforce protection of the women. Please feel free to read the act here.

Domestic Violence defined: Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act, 2012 concerning Islamabad only.

Domestic Violence.— Domestic Violence includes but is not limited to, all acts of gender based and other physical or psychological abuse committed by a respondent against women, children or other vulnerable persons, with whom the respondent is or has been in a domestic relationship including but not limited to,—

  1. “abet” has same meaning as defined in Pakistan Penal Code (Act XLV of 1860) hereinafter referred to in this section
  2. “as the said Code”;
  3. “assault” as defined in section 351 of the said Code;
  4. “attempt” as defined in section 511 of the said Code to commit any of the offenses enumerated in this section;
  5. “criminal force” as defined in section 350 of the said Code;
  6. “criminal intimidation” as defined in section 503 of the said Code; 4
  7. “Emotional, psychological and verbal abuse” means a pattern of degrading or humiliating conduct towards the victim, including but not limited to,—
    • repeated exhibition of obsessive possessiveness or jealousy constituting serious invasion of the victim‘s privacy, liberty, integrity and security;
    • insults or ridicule;
    • threat to cause physical pain;
    • threat of malicious prosecution;
    • blaming a spouse of immorality;
    • threats of divorce;
    • baselessly blaming or imputing insanity, or citing bareness of a spouse with the intention to marry again; and
    • bringing false allegation upon the character of a female member by any member of the shared household;