Islamabad: The Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control approved several significant legal amendments during its meeting on Monday, including bills addressing consumer protection, anti-rape legislation, and protection of domestic workers. The committee, chaired by Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman, also raised concerns over the issuance of official passports to former parliamentarians and discussed ongoing investigations into prominent murder cases.
According to Senate of Pakistan, the committee passed The Islamabad Consumers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which introduces new provisions in the Pakistan Penal Code and related procedural amendments. These changes aim to enhance legal measures against crimes such as acid attacks and to protect domestic workers. The committee emphasized the importance of government support for strengthening legal frameworks against rape offenses.
The meeting, attended by several senators and agenda movers, also addressed tax evasion issues related to imports for tax-exempt areas, with concerns raised about potential involvement of certain Federal Board of Revenue officials. The committee plans to continue examining this matter in a future session.
In response to reports about changes in the official passport issuance process, the committee expressed dissatisfaction with the requirement for a no-objection certificate from the Ministry of Interior and the reduction of passport validity for former parliamentarians. The Minister of State for Interior assured that the internal approval changes would not affect policy compliance, but the committee deferred further discussion.
Ongoing murder investigations, including the cases of Syed Amir Shehzad Shah and Ayat Noor, were also reviewed. The committee commended efforts by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police and called for intensified investigations. Additional briefings covered issues such as social media regulation for minors and alleged fraud in housing societies, with further reports requested for the next meeting.