The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Saturday relaxed its Islamic laws that dealt with personal freedoms, loosening alcohol restrictions and criminalising “honour killing”.
The development comes a few weeks after US President Donald Trump brokered a historic peace deal normalising relations between the UAE, Israel, Sudan and Bahrain.
In its legal reforms, the UAE has also scrapped punishment for allowing unmarried couples to live together. Though authorities used to look the other way in the case of foreigners, especially in Dubai, there was always the threat of punishment lingered on in tourists’ minds.
The Gulf country has also criminalised the “honour killings” custom, according to which a male relative could escape prosecution for assaulting a woman who was seen as bringing disgrace or dishonour to the family.
Human rights groups have lashed out at the UAE and other Gulf countries in the past, accusing them of killing hundreds of women over activities such as eloping, fraternising with men or anything of a similar nature which could be seen as bringing “dishonour” upon the family.
The Gulf country has also warned men of harassing women or stalking them, adding that those found guilty of the offenses will be punished. “There will be tougher punishments for men who subject women to harassment of any kind, which is thought to cover street harassment or stalking,” The Nationalreported.
The government defended the overhauling of Islamic laws, saying that it was an attempt to consolidate “tolerance principles” into the country’s laws and ensure a better investment environment.
“I could not be happier for these new laws that are progressive and proactive,” said Emirati film-maker Abdallah Al Kaabi. “2020 has been a tough and transformative year for the UAE.”
Alcohol consumption allowed
The legal reforms have also done away with penalties for consuming, selling and possessing alcohol for those 21 and over, according to the government.
In the past, individuals needed to have a liquor license to keep alcohol in their homes or to buy it or transport the product. The new law will make room for Muslims, who couldn’t previously consume alcoholic beverages as they were not permitted to have licenses, to drink it freely.
The developments are also significant as they occur right before the UAE is expected to host the World Expo where an expected 25 million visitors are expected to arrive in the Gulf country and ensure a flurry of economic activities.
![PESHAWAR, JAN 12 /DNA/ - Owing to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's precarious law and order circumstances, the provincial assembly has written a letter to the Peshawar corps commander seeking an in-camera briefing on ongoing operations and the security situation in the province. "The [special] Committee desires to receive a detailed briefing from Headquarters XI Corps, Peshawar, particularly in the context of the ongoing operations being conducted by the federal government and LEAs in the merged districts of KP," reads the letter issued by KP Assembly Deputy Secretary Tariq Noor, while referring to the Special Committee (on Security) constituted by the house. The committee features more than 40 members, including the leader of the house, the leader of the opposition and provincial ministers, along with parliamentary leaders of respective political parties. The letter, dated January 8, also points out that the committee has received detailed briefings from key stakeholders, including the chief secretary, the additional chief secretary, the IGP, and now seeks a briefing as part of the consultative process. Letter written by KP Assemblys deputy secretary to Headquarters XI Corps. — Reporter Letter written by KP Assembly's deputy secretary to Headquarters XI Corps. — Reporter The KP Assembly's request for a briefing from a senior army commander comes as the province, as stated by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director-General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry in a recent media briefing, accounted for nearly 71% of all the terrorist incidents in 2025. The overwhelming share of KP in facing terror incidents, as per the military's spokesperson, was due to a "politically conducive environment and the flourishing political-criminal-terror-nexus" in the province. Noting that the Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in KP was resisting counterterrorism efforts at every forum — a claim denied by the PTI — Lt Gen Chaudhry highlighted that the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) carried out 75,175 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) across the country in 2025, of which 14,658 IBOs were conducted in KP. Out of the total 5,397 terrorism incidents reported nationwide in the previous year, as many as 3,811 incidents occurred in KP. The issue of terrorism and military operations has been a point of contention between the PTI's KP government and the Centre in recent times, where the former has time and again stressed a political solution and dialogue, whereas the latter has pressed on with taking action against the terrorists. This is also reflected by the KP Assembly's letter to the Headquarters XI Corps, Peshawar, which says that the Special Committee (on Security) "acknowledges the importance of security measures but considers that operation alone without broader political, social and developmental initiatives may not ensure suitable peace and stability and could risk further unrest in the province".](https://islamabadpost.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/security-forces-218x150.jpg "KP Assembly seeks Peshawar corps commander’s in-camera briefing on security situation")
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