ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Law and Justice has announced major reforms in the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), 1898, here on Tuesday.
According to reports, Federal Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar presented extensive amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code, which were unanimously approved by the federal cabinet.
According to the ministry, the amendments were recommended by a committee headed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The proposed reforms in the Criminal Procedure Code reflect consultations with bar councils, lawyers, prosecutors and judges.
Key reforms in the Criminal Procedure Code include introducing an electronic system for registering FIRs, powers of preliminary inquiry for registering FIRs. Moreover, under the new amendments, only women officers will be authorized to arrest women.
The reforms also emphasize the use of modern investigative tools, including audio and video recording, to enhance the accuracy of evidence.
According to the new amendments, prosecutors will now have the power to highlight shortcomings in police reports, ensuring better transparency in the investigation process.
In cases where evidence is insufficient, the amendments to the Criminal Code allow for the suspension of investigations, providing a clear legal process. The ministry said that these reforms will improve transparency and accountability in law enforcement agencies.
After the cabinet approval, the proposed amendments to the Criminal Code will be presented to the parliament for final legislation.
In the month of October 2024, the government backed away from amending Articles 63-A and 38 of the Constitution, which were initially included in the proposed Constitutional Amendment Bill.
According to details, the final draft of the bill presented in the Senate did not include changes to Articles 63-A and Article 38 of the Constitution of Pakistan.
Earlier, the government had proposed that votes cast by lawmakers against the instructions of their party leader would still be counted.
However, this amendment was dropped from the final version of the bill.
