Four years later, KP has yet to enforce the Domestic Violence Act 2021

Four years after passing the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act, 2021, the provincial government is yet to set up the district-level empowered committees to curb domestic violence against women.

The law, passed by the KP Assembly in 2021, aimed to create a legal framework to protect women from domestic abuse and ensure speedy redressal of complaints. The amendment was tabled by Pakistan Peoples Party lawmaker Nighat Orakzai, who also played a key role in drafting it.

At her insistence, the law stipulated that each district committee be chaired by a woman member of the provincial assembly. In districts where no woman MPA has been elected, the Deputy Commissioner was appointed to act as committee chairman.

However, despite the legal requirement, the formation of these committees has been repeatedly delayed. Sources revealed that the Social Agency raised procedural objections, which stopped the process.

Former Social Welfare Minister Syed Qasim Ali Shah confirmed that the decision to form the committees had been finalized and an official announcement was being prepared as the provincial cabinet was dissolved. “The process will resume once the new cabinet is in place,” he said.

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Chairman of the KP Commission on the Status of Women (KPCSW), Dr. Sumaira Shams, also acknowledged delays, stating that the commission has formally approached the government to resolve the objections. “There were concerns over the appointment of assembly members as some women legislators have been assigned to committees outside their home districts,” she noted.

Meanwhile, the provincial assembly has issued a notification naming women MPAs for representation in the district women’s protection committee. The list includes Sitara Afrin for Dera Ismail Khan, Aiman ​​Jaleel for Mohmand, Madina Gul Afridi for Khyber, Rabia Shaheen for Kurram, Nilofer Begum for Bannu, Naheeda Noor for Bajaur, Arifa Bibi for Lower Chitral and several others across the province.

However, some lawmakers have expressed concern about being excluded from committees in their own constituencies. MPA Rehana Ismail told Express Pakinomist that she had contacted the assembly secretariat regarding objections from members who were associated with other circles.

It may be recalled that this year in January, four years after the enactment of the legislation, the KP government finally constituted committees to stop violence against women in the province. Due to the lack of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf women members of the provincial assembly, the committees will be chaired by women members from the opposition, with one committee to be chaired by the deputy speaker.

The KP Assembly had passed a law in 2021 to prevent domestic violence against women. At the time, Orakzai had proposed an amendment to the law to ensure that committees formed under it would be headed by women members of the assembly. The Danish Parliament had approved the amendment.

In 2023, Orakzai had raised the issue of the Act’s non-implementation. The issue had also been raised in the Standing Committee on Social Welfare. After Orakzai raised his voice in the matter, the government had made business rules which had been approved by the then provincial cabinet.