The Punjab Police have proposed amendments to the Punjab Protection of Women against Violence Act (PPWVA-2016) aimed at increasing the penalty for domestic violence to Rs1 million and designating it as a non-bailable offense. This initiative seeks to bolster support and protection for women against violence throughout the province.
Inspector General of Police Punjab, Dr. Usman Anwar, has submitted a summary regarding these amendments to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for consideration by the provincial cabinet.
A senior official noted that the need for these amendments arose from reports indicating that many suspects involved in domestic violence managed to evade police action and court penalties, with only six percent of incidents reported leading to the filing of FIRs. In most cases, incidents were treated as non-cognizable, particularly when the parties reached an agreement or the victims chose not to pursue legal action for various reasons.
The proposed changes include a three-year prison sentence and a fine of Rs1 million for offenders. Dr. Usman highlighted that domestic violence is a widespread issue in Punjab, affecting victims of all ages and socio-economic backgrounds. He pointed out that the lack of strict legal consequences encourages aggressors, who often feel unaccountable due to the current legal loopholes.
Dr. Usman also referenced the Virtual Women Police Station (VWPS), a unique initiative launched by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on April 22, 2024, aimed at empowering women and enhancing their protection against violence. Since its inception, the VWPS has received a total of 114,540 complaints, with 59,798 related to domestic violence. However, only 3,365 of these cases resulted in FIRs, as many were treated as non-cognizable offenses due to the absence of explicit legal provisions.
To address this, the IG proposed amending Section 21 of the Punjab Protection of Women against Violence Act to define domestic violence as a cognizable offense. The proposed amendments outline that the court would only take cognizance of such cases on a complaint from a district women protection officer and that trials would be conducted according to summary trial provisions. Furthermore, repeat offenders would face non-bailable charges.
In summary, these amendments are designed to strengthen legal protections for women and ensure accountability for domestic violence in Punjab.
