Yes. The Punjab Protection of Women against Violence Act 2016 allows victims of domestic violence to obtain protection orders to order the accused not to have any communication and stay a specific distance away from the victim, surrender any firearms and refrain from attempting to cause harm to her.[19]
The Ministry of Women Development set up 10 crisis centers to help the victims of domestic violence and raise people's awareness level on this issue. In 2011, the Senate of Pakistan passed the Acid Control and Acid Crime Prevention Bill to repress acid attacks in the country; it also passed the Prevention of Anti-Women Practices Bill.[20]
Domestic violence issues are not specifically covered in the Pakistan Penal Code, however, there are several sections covering issues regarding miscarriage, abandonment of children under 12 years old, causing hurt, wrongful confinement and restraint. Laws on sexual violence come under the umbrella of the Hudood Ordinances 1979. In spite of this, women are more victimized than ever and can rarely seek relief under these laws. In December 2006, the Protection of Women (Criminal Laws Amendment) Act was passed containing several clauses in the Pakistan Penal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code regarding sexual assaults on women and some modifications were made to the Zina Offense as well. In 2001, Section 174-A was added to the Criminal Procedure Code in an attempt to curb dowry-related violence.[21]
In August 2009, the National Assembly of Pakistan passed the Domestic Violence Bill that lays down provisions for the protection of and monetary compensation for victims and punishment in the form of fines or jail time for those who violate protection orders.[22]
Under the Domestic Violence Prevention and Protection Act, the penalties of violation of a protection order include imprisonment of six month to one year and a fine of PKR 100,000 for the first breach.[23]An accused found guilty of committing the act of domestic violence will only receive a warning not to do certain acts based on the protection orders.[26]
In the Punjab Protection of Women against Violence Act of 2016, the court can pass residence orders to ensure that the accused or members of his family do not evict the victim from her marital home. If the victim wishes, she can be relocated to the Dar-ul-Aman or another location of her preference, if she fears violence from the accused person or his family.[27]In the context of Pakistan, any legislation that attempts to make domestic violence against women directly an offense, would possibly not make its way through the country's parliament, given its male-dominated membership.[28]
However, the Punjab Protection of Women against Violence Act provides for the setting up of violence against women centers, which will provide all essential services to ensure the speedy reporting of crimes, registration of cases, timely medical examinations and collection of forensic and other evidence. Services provided for survivors of violence include counseling, medical care, legal aid, coordination with local law enforcement agencies and temporary shelter at Dar-ul-Aman.[29]These orders can be requested through the courts. For example, a civil court in Karachi issued a restraining order in a case registered under the Sindh Domestic Violence Act 2013 and barred the husband, accused of physically assaulting his wife, from entering his wife's workplace and household. The court provided security to the petitioner and issued a bond from the accused for preventing the commission of domestic violence.
Victims of domestic violence can approach a court themselves, or through the women protection officers, to obtain interim, protection, residence or monetary orders to prevent further violence, retain the right to reside in the marital home and obtain maintenance from the accused. The court will define the period of validity of an order.[30]In 1999, Human Rights Watch found that rather than responding actively to violations of women's rights to life, to security of the person and to be free of discrimination, the government has acted, through its police, medico-legal, prosecutorial and judicial systems, to block access to redress and justice for female victims of violence.[33]
In 2019, Pakistan planned to set up more than 1,000 courts dedicated to tackling violence against women, seeking to tackle a problem activists say the criminal justice system has long neglected.[34]
The new courts will operate in existing courthouses, but will hold domestic violence hearings separately from other cases to enable victims to testify in confidence. A pilot court was opened in 2017 in Punjab, Pakistan's most populous province.[35]