ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s attorney general Khalid Jawed Khan told a court on Thursday the government had stopped implementing a controversial section in a cybercrime law which journalists and civil society activists said was designed to curb media freedom in the country.
Last month, President Arif Alvi approved an amendment to Section 20 of the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) which increased the jail term for social media users convicted of disseminating “fake news” from two to five years.
The ordinance also made it mandatory for courts to decide such cases within six months.
The attorney general made the disclosure during the hearing of a petition filed against PECA at the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
“The attorney general informed the court that the government was ready to consult all the stakeholders regarding PECA and that a commission would be formed without whose recommendation no action will be taken,” reported The Express Tribune.
During the hearing of the case, Chief Justice Athar Minallah asked if the government wanted to take the country in a direction where there was no criticism of public officeholders.
In response, the attorney general said he had met the prime minister and apprised him about the law.
He added the prime minister “expressed astonishment” on Section 20 of the ordinance, adding the government was ready to form a commission comprising former high court judges and civil society members before taking any action under PECA.
“I have apprised the prime minister that some things will be retracted from the ordinance. We will also take Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors and all stakeholders on board,” he added.
The PFUJ lawyer, present at the hearing, said the union was ready to hold talks with the government.
The court subsequently adjourned the proceeding of the case until March 14, directing the attorney general to submit his final arguments regarding the ordinance.
Government not implementing Section 20 of cybercrime law – attorney general
https://arab.news/5q45t
Government not implementing Section 20 of cybercrime law – attorney general
- The controversial section of the law substantially increases jail term for social media users convicted of disseminating ‘fake news’
- Attorney general says the government is ready to form a commission on cybercrime law, talk to stakeholders
Pakistan military says 13 militants killed in counterterror operations across northwest
- Military says counterterror operations launched in Bajaur, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber and South Waziristan districts
- The counterterror operations take place as Afghanistan and Pakistan remain locked in conflict since late last month
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani security forces this week killed 13 militants in five separate counterterror operations in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, the military’s media wing said on Sunday, vowing to eliminate militancy from the country.
The counterterror operations were conducted on Mar. 6-7, with Pakistani troops killing five militants in the northwestern Bajaur district in the first operation. In two other encounters in Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan district, security forces killed three militants belonging to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
Meanwhile, five other militants were killed in two separate counterterror operations in Khyber and South Waziristan districts in which five more militants were slain.
“Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from Indian-sponsored killed khwarij, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area,” ISPR said in a statement.
Pakistan’s military frequently uses the term “Fitna al Khwarij” to describe TTP militants. The militant outfit has carried out some of the deadliest attacks against Pakistani civilians and security forces since 2007 in a bid to impose their strict brand of Islamic law across the country.
Islamabad accuses Afghanistan of sheltering the TTP and facilitating their attacks against Pakistan, a charge Kabul has denied. Pakistan also accuses India of supporting these militant groups, which New Delhi has repeatedly rejected.
The counterterror operations take place as Pakistan remains locked in conflict with Afghanistan since late February.
The worst fighting between the two sides began late last month when Afghan forces launched a surprise attack on Pakistani military installations along their shared border. Afghanistan said the assault was in retaliation for Pakistan’s earlier airstrikes in February on what Islamabad described as militant camps inside Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Saturday that Islamabad has killed 527 Afghan Taliban fighters and injured more than 755 since clashes began.
Afghanistan has also claimed attacking multiple Pakistani military bases and killing several Pakistani soldiers. Arab News has not independently verified the claims by both sides.
Pakistan has ruled out talks with Afghanistan and said it will continue its military operations in the country till it withdraws support for militant groups that Islamabad says operate from Afghanistan.
