Story highlights The law fixes a loophole that allowed killers to escape prosecution if pardoned by the victim's family

The next challenge will be to see how the government will implement the law

Parliament also passed an anti-rape bill that would make it easier to convict some rapists

Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) Under a new law perpetrators of so-called "honor killings" can no longer walk free in Pakistan if pardoned by the victim's family.

"A vicious circle has now come to an end," Senator Farhatullah Babar told CNN. Now, a killer will face a minimum sentence of 25 years in jail, Babar said. "No murderer will be able to walk away free even if his parents or family members forgive him for killing his sister, wife or mother in the name of 'honor.'"

Pakistan's prime minister, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, has been under pressure to prosecute those who commit violence against women. "Honor killings" typically involve a woman being slain by a relative who believes she has brought shame upon the family.

"There is no honor in honor killing," he said earlier this year and again in a statement after Thursday's vote.