The leader of the PPP, Raza Rabbani, denounced on Friday the approval by the National Assembly of the Electronic Crime Prevention Law (amendment), warning that it would restrict freedom of expression, despite the support of its party to the legislation A day before.
The National Assembly hurried yesterday the controversial amendments to the laws on cyber crimes in the country amid protests, and the PTI legislators and journalists abandoned the process. PPP members expressed their support during vote.
“The bill will further undermine freedom of expression by establishing authorities under executive control,” Rabbani said in a statement published today.
The invoice, whose copy is available with Dawn.comHe proposed a new disposition, section 26 (a), to penalize the authors of “false news” online, which said: “who intentionally disseminates, publicly exhibits or transmits any information through any information system, which Know or be considered reasons to believe that they are false or false and that they can cause or create a sense of fear, panic, disorder or discomfort in the general public or in society. punished with prison penalty that can extend up to three years or with a fine that can extend to 2 million rupees or with both.
The former president of the Senate added that the bill would grant powers to the Executive not only on the content of the message but also on those who operate social media platforms.
“Joint research teams will be formed that will include members of unidentified intelligence agencies to monitor journalists, social networks and the general public,” he added.
He said it was unfortunate that the government would not have taken into account the pertinent stakeholders before the approval of the bill. “In fact, he breached his commitments with several consultation bodies of elected journalists,” Rabbani said.
“The hurry with which the bill in the National Assembly was degrading for the parliamentary legislative process was approved,” he added.
He said that “there is no apparent urgency in demolishing legislation,” and added that “that demolition only serves to weaken a parliament that is already redundant.”
“The Government can still make amendments inviting relevant interested parties to the Permanent Committee of the Senate when the bill is presented in that chamber,” Rabbani said.
“A controversial legislation is never a good legislation,” he concluded.
Journalists and human rights organizations have also criticized the government for approved amendments without the participation of interested parties.
The president of the Human Rights cell of the PPP, Ferhatullah Babar, has also said that the changes in Peca aimed to further quell freedom of expression through the establishment of multiple authorities under executive control.
“This would be [enlarge] the footprint of irresponsible intelligence agencies and [give] Wide powers to the Executive not only about the content of the message but also on the messengers, that is, social media platforms, ”added Babar.
A joint declaration of a coalition of journalists and media agencies also promised to challenge the law in court and launch a protest movement.
“I can’t publish without consequences”
In defense of the legislation, the Minister of Information, Attaullah Tarar, visited yesterday the press gallery of the National Assembly, insisting that the law would protect the traditional media. He made a distinction between “active journalists” registered in press clubs and social media users, saying that the existing mechanisms through the Pemra Council would continue to rule the main media.
“This legislation is aimed at those who simply take their phones and say what they want,” said Tara, referring to plans for a new National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency. Although he acknowledged that the rules had not yet been formulated, he said: “Nothing can be published in digital media without consequences.”
