First case registered under new women's protection law in Pak

Islamabad: Pakistan police have arrested a man after his wife registered the first FIR under a new law passed by the Punjab Assembly on domestic violence.

Lahore's Green Town Police Station registered the First Information Report against the husband for violence against his wife yesterday, police said.

No marks of physical torture were found on the woman and there was no medical report to confirm her claim, Assistant Sub-Inspector Police Ashiq was quoted as saying by the 'Dawn'.

The husband has been arrested and brought to the police station, the police officer added.

Punjab Assembly unanimously passed the Punjab Protection of Women Against Violence Bill on February 24 which provides protection and legal recourse to victims of domestic violence.

Punjab Governor Rafiq Rajwana signed the bill yesterday to make it a formal law.

The new law prohibits torture of wives and bans expulsion of a woman from her home in case of an altercation with husband. The law also says the husband could be banished from the home for two days.

Violators of the law will be given jail terms and fine, besides installation of trackers on violent husbands on court orders.

While the religious parties have termed the bill as against Islam, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said that the law reflected vision of Pakistan's founding father Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

Hardline religious party Jamiat-e-Ulema-Islam's head Maulana Fazlur Rehman, an influential religious and political figure, had also critised the bill, saying it is in direct conflict with Sharia laws and will make men feel "insecure".