Pakistan Senate bill proposes jail time & hefty fines for Black Magic

A new bill introduced in Pakistan’s Senate aims to amend criminal laws to impose stringent penalties on individuals involved in practicing or promoting witchcraft, as reported by the media.

The bill, presented by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri of the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), proposes prison sentences ranging from six months to seven years and fines of up to 1 million rupees for those found guilty of engaging in or advertising black magic. The offense would be non-bailable.

The reports indicate that the legislation targets individuals claiming to possess supernatural powers and seeks to curb the exploitation of vulnerable people through witchcraft and related practices. The bill highlights the need to prevent activities associated with black magic, which continues to impact vulnerable communities across the country.

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In addition to the anti-witchcraft legislation, Senator Zehri also introduced a constitutional amendment aimed at raising the minimum educational qualification for public office holders. The proposal calls for the President, Prime Minister, federal and provincial ministers, governors, chief ministers, and speakers to hold at least a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent.

Meanwhile, Senator Quratulain Marri presented a separate bill advocating for the inclusion of reproductive health education in the curricula for middle and high school students. However, this proposal was met with opposition from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Shibli Faraz.