ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice approved an amendment to Section 11 of The Family Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2026, introducing a provision that allows family courts to permit audio and video recording of statements, subject to judicial discretion and the consent of the parties involved.
The committee, chaired by Senator Farooq Hamid Naek, convened at Parliament House on Tuesday to discuss the bill, which was originally introduced by Senator Sarmad Ali in the Senate sitting on January 19, 2026. During the clause-by-clause review, a proposed amendment to Section 9 was withdrawn. However, the amendment to Section 11 was passed with the additional modification on audio and video recordings.
The committee also reviewed The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2024 (Amendment of Article 62), introduced by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri in the Senate on September 9, 2024. The proposed amendment aimed to make a graduation degree a mandatory qualification for appointment to key constitutional and public offices, including the President, Prime Minister, Governors, Chief Ministers, Chairman and Deputy Chairman Senate, Speaker and Deputy Speaker National Assembly, Federal Ministers, Ministers of State, and Provincial Ministers.
The mover emphasized that individuals in such high offices carry significant constitutional responsibilities and public trust, which warranted higher eligibility standards.
During deliberations, replies from all provincial governments opposed the proposed amendment. The Committee noted that the proposal raised constitutional concerns, including potential conflicts with Article 25, which guarantees equality of citizens.
Senator Abdul Qadir highlighted that governance depends on wisdom, experience, and vision rather than academic degrees alone, distinguishing education from practical qualification. The Minister of State acknowledged the intent behind the amendment to strengthen governance standards but, considering the provincial responses and the Committee’s consensus, the Member-in-Charge withdrew the bill.
Further, the committee considered The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2025 (Amendment of Article 228) and The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2025 (Amendment of Article 153), both introduced by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada Khan on May 19, 2025, aiming to enhance women’s representation in constitutional bodies.
