Pakistan: NA panel approves bill against intentional disrespect for forcesInternational 2021-04-08, by Editor Comments Off 0
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior has approved a bill to make amendments to the Pakistan Penal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure 1898 to take action against those who intentionally ridicule armed forces.
The bill says anyone who shall be guilty of said offence could face up to two years imprisonment or fine that may extend to Rs500,000, or both.
The bill, titled Criminal Law Amendment Bill 2020 introduced by PTI MNA Amjid Ali Khan, was approved by the NA committee on interior, which met here on Wednesday with MNA Raja Khurram Nawaz in the chair.
Backlash Grows Against Pakistani Law Criminalizing Criticism Of Military
April 08, 2021
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Rights advocates, opposition politicians, and lawyers have opposed draft changes to the Pakistani criminal law that recommend a two-year prison sentence or more than $3,200 in fines for anyone who “intentionally ridicules, brings into disrepute or defames” the country’s military.
The proposed bill was adopted by the committee on interior in the National Assembly, the popularly elected lower house of the Pakistani parliament, on April 7. The bill still needs majority approval in the National Assembly and the Senate or upper house to become law. But it comes on the heels of government efforts to regulate social media while activists continue to face threats, kidnapping, and violence for allegedly criticizing the security forces.
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Bill to Penalize ‘Ridicule’ of Armed Forces Approved by NA Committee
Bill to Penalize ‘Ridicule’ of Armed Forces Approved by NA Committee
Opposition lawmakers oppose legislation, noting it violates Article 19 of the Constitution
The National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior on Wednesday approved legislation to make any “intentional” ridicule of the armed forces a punishable offense that carries either a fine of up to Rs. 500,000, a maximum of two years’ imprisonment, or both. The Criminal Law Amendment Bill, 2020 will now be placed before the National Assembly for final approval before being passed into law.
The bill, which would make amendments to the Pakistan Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, was introduced by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawmaker Amjad Ali Khan. It proposes amending Section 500 of the PPC, which currently calls for punishment to anyone who “defames another” with simple imprisonment for a maximum term of two years, a fin
Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry has opposed the introduction of new laws to quell criticism. DawnNewsTV/File
Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry on Thursday said it was an absolutely ridiculous idea to criminalise criticism, a day after a National Assembly panel approved a bill that proposes a two-year prison sentence and a hefty fine for those who intentionally ridicule the armed forces.
Though Chaudhry did not directly reference the bill in his tweet, his remarks came in reaction to a tweet by senior journalist Mazhar Abbas who, while apparently commenting on the bill passed by the NA committee, wrote that citizens were free to criticise the parliament, politicians and media but the rest is national interest .