Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to convene a joint session of the parliament on August 2, well placed sources told Daily Times.

Sources said the government would seek the passage of two important bills from the joint session of the parliament.

Bill one is regarding anti-honour killings and the other is anti-rape. These were deferred during the last joint session of the parliament in April.

Sources said the government had managed to address the concerns of Jamiat Ulema Islam, Fazlur Rehman on both the bills.

“We have addressed the JUI’s concerns and now both the bills will be tabled in the joint session again,” sources maintained.

Last time, both anti-honour killing and anti-rape bills were deferred because of concerns expressed by a religious-political party.

Sources said the government had made certain amendments in the draft bills to remove JUI-F’s concerns.

Both anti-honour killings and anti-rape bills were introduced by the PPP lawmakers. But the government will now own the bills and seek support from all parties to give their nod.

It is learnt that the government has re-drafted some clauses of the bill and now any affected person, family or jirga would have no right to pardon the culprit in an honour killing crime.

Sources further said that Law Minister Zahid Hamid was expected to hold a press conference in the coming few days to explain both the proposed bills.