Pakistan: tougher sentence for disrespecting family and companions of the Prophet 

Pakistan’s upper house has passed legislation toughening the punishment for showing disrespect to the wives, family members and companions of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.

Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, one of the movers of the bill, told Anadolu on Tuesday that the latest legislation is purely covering punishment for disrespecting those revered figures noted above. The death penalty for blasphemy, however, remains unchanged under the Penal Code of Pakistan.

The Senate duly passed the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill 2023 on Monday. The bill was approved in January by the lower house, known as the National Assembly, and proposed a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison for such disrespect, as well as a fine of one million rupees (approximately $3,500), said the senator. The previous maximum sentence was three years in prison.

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