The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2021 was passed by the NA on November 8, 2021, and aimed at making amendments to the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Code of Criminal Procedure. In 2022, former human rights minister Shireen Mazari had alleged that the bill had gone “missing” after it was sent to the Senate, having been passed by the relevant standing committee and the NA.

Later, Mazari had also claimed that she was asked to appear at the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) headquarters over the bill. She had added that after the bill was tabled in the NA, it was referred to the interior committee where “invisible shadows” tried to change the clauses. She had regretted that the bill “disappeared” on the way to the Senate.

The issue of the “missing” bill cropped up in the Supreme Court on January 2 during the hearing of a case on enforced disappearances. Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa had expressed surprise over the disappearance of the bill from the Senate, particularly as it had occurred during the PTI’s time in power.

“It is strange that a minister is saying her bill disappeared,” Justice Isa had wondered, noting that a “serious allegation” had been levelled against Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani.