Pakistan National Assembly Passes Bill to Abolish Death Penalty for Drug-Related Offenses
The National Assembly in Pakistan has passed the Control of Narcotics Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2022, which aims to eliminate the death penalty for drug-related offenses.
The statement of objects and reasons for the bill states that the death penalty, as outlined in section 9(c) of the Control of Narcotics Substances Act, 1997, disproportionately affects individuals and violates their fundamental right to life.
The bill also notes that there is a risk of executing innocent people in drug cases and that the arbitrary application of the death penalty cannot be ruled out under the current law. In September 2021, President Arif Alvi signed the Control of Narcotic Substances (Amendment) Bill, which provides for either death or life imprisonment for offenses related to the illicit trafficking of various quantities of narcotics and psychotropic drugs, including heroin, morphine, cocaine, and methamphetamine.
The Act also includes provisions for harsher penalties if the offense is committed in or near a school, college, university, or other educational institution.
The Control of Narcotic Substances (Amendment) Act, 2022 is a law in Pakistan that provides for penalties for offenses related to the illicit trafficking of narcotics and psychotropic drugs. After the President of Pakistan assented to the bill, it became the Control of Narcotic Substances (Amendment) Act, 2022.
The Act provides for imprisonment of at least 20 years and a fine of at least 1 million rupees for offenses involving 4 kg or more of heroin or morphine.
It also provides for either death or life imprisonment and a fine of at least 1.5 million rupees but not more than 2 million rupees for offenses involving 6 kg or more of heroin or morphine.
The Act also imposes a penalty of death or life imprisonment and a fine of at least 2.5 million rupees for offenses involving 5 kg or more of cocaine, and a penalty of death or life imprisonment and a fine of at least 2.5 million rupees for offenses involving 4 kg or more of the psychotropic substance methamphetamine (ICE).
