NA moves to criminalise forced eviction of women from their homes

To protect women from domestic violence, the National Assembly has proposed a bill that makes the forced eviction of women from their homes a criminal offence.

The bill was introduced by the Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) MNA Sharmila Farooqui on the floor of the lower house on Tuesday, demanding amendments in several sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) that relate to domestic violence. 

The proposed amendment to the bill states that the unjust eviction of a woman from her home by a husband or any member of the household should be considered a crime.

The forced eviction of a woman from her home would be punishable by three to six months in prison.

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It added that an individual who commits the offence could be fined at least Rs200,000, while these cases should be referred to a first-class magistrate. 

The suggested amendment in the bill has been named the Criminal Law Amendment Bill 2025. The Deputy Speaker referred the bill to the relevant committee for further consideration.

Pakistan has been witnessing a significant increase in the cases of domestic violence and forced eviction of women from their houses for years. 

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In April, an inhumane incident unfolded in Punjab’s Muzaffargarh, where a husband and his family members allegedly tortured a pregnant woman, leaving her severely injured and throwing her out of the house in critical condition, according to police.

The eight-month-pregnant victim was allegedly beaten with axes and rods by her husband and in-laws, resulting in multiple fractures to her arms and legs.

Following the torture, when her situation worsened, she was thrown out of the house. She was transported to the District Headquarters (DHQ) hospital on the complaint of residents. 

Police reported that the woman claimed she was subjected to torture due to suspicions about her character.