ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s federal cabinet approved an amendment in the Federal Investigation Agency Act, 1974, to empower the agency to take direct action against “fake news” and “social media rumors” targeting state institutions that can lead to seven-year imprisonment, said an official statement on Wednesday.
Earlier this year, the government of former prime minister Imran Khan amended Section 20 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016, which increased the jail term from two to five years for anyone defaming a person or institution, including the army and judiciary, on social media platforms.
Civil society groups and journalist bodies challenged the amendment in the Islamabad High Court since they viewed it as a tool to silence critics of the government.
The court subsequently scrapped the controversial law in April while calling it “unconstitutional.”
“The government has decided to give more powers to the FIA to strengthen it as the federal cabinet approved further amendments to the FIA Act through a summary moved via circulation,” said the statement released by the information ministry.
The final approval of the amendment to the FIA Act would come from parliament, the statement added, which would make the agency act against “hateful content” on social media.
“Issues such as hateful content, incitement to rebellion in institutions have come to the fore on social media and there is also a lot of wrong or fake news on social media which can lead to rebellion among officials of state institutions,” the summary approved by the cabinet noted.
It also maintained that false news or information could turn groups and communities against one another.
The amendment, which has included Section 505 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) in the FIA Act, will make it possible for the agency to act against social media posts which was previously done by the police.
“After the approval of the Parliament, the punishment under this law can be imprisonment of up to seven years,” the summary said.
Pakistan’s interior minister Rana Sanaullah said on Wednesday evening the government would consult journalists and other stakeholders on changes to the law.
“If the freedom of expression is curtailed by the bill, the government will withdraw it,” he said in a video statement, adding that there were certain things on social media that needed to be controlled.
“The private life of people is being harmed through social media,” he maintained, adding the bill would come up for discussion in parliament as well.
Usama Khilji, director of a digital rights advocacy firm, Bolo Bhi, said the amendment would have a “chilling effect on society” and scare people from exercising their democratic rights on social media.
“It will also increase harassment of the general public from the FIA based on their social media activities,” he maintained.
Khilji said the government had included Section 505 of the PPC in the FIA Act which dealt with mutiny within the armed forces.
“It is the right of every Pakistani citizen to criticize the political role of armed forces that should not come under scrutiny,” he continued, adding the government should only act if any social media post damaged or compromised the role of the military in defense of the country.
“There should be checks and balances and law enforcement agencies should not have such wide powers,” he said.
Government approves law recommending seven-year term for social media users
https://arab.news/82bz6
Government approves law recommending seven-year term for social media users
- The proposed law will be finalized after parliamentary debate, says the country’s interior minister
- The law will empower FIA to act against social media posts targeting Pakistan’s state institutions
Pakistan says it seized 32 square kilometers inside Afghanistan as border clashes escalate
- Security official describes ‘limited tactical action’ in Gudwana after Afghan assaults
- Islamabad accuses Kabul of sheltering militants as UN, China and Russia urge restraint
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has seized a 32-square-kilometer area inside Afghanistan following overnight fighting, a security official said on Saturday, as cross-border clashes between the two countries escalated sharply.
A Pakistani security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said troops carried out a “limited tactical action” in the Gudwana area opposite the Zhob sector along the frontier, capturing Afghan territory after responding to attacks on Pakistani positions.
“On the night of Feb. 26/27, posts opposite the Zhob sector launched anticipated physical attacks on multiple Pakistani positions,” the official said, referring to fighters linked to Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities, whom Islamabad identifies as Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan (TTA).
“In response to aggressive unprovoked fire and physical attacks, Pakistan security forces launched a limited tactical action on the night of Feb. 27/28 in the general area of Gudwana with a view to capture TTA Tahir Post,” he continued, adding that 32 square kilometers of Afghan territory were seized.
The official said special combat teams crossed the border after preparatory bombardment, supported by intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets providing “real-time battlefield awareness.”
He said 24 Afghan Taliban fighters were killed and 37 wounded, with no Pakistani casualties reported.
The claims could not be independently verified, and there was no immediate confirmation from Taliban authorities in Kabul of any territorial loss in the Gudwana area.
The latest clashes erupted after Pakistani airstrikes targeted what Islamabad described as militant hideouts inside Afghanistan over the weekend, triggering retaliatory fire along the frontier and sharply escalating long-running tensions. Islamabad accuses Kabul of sheltering Pakistani Taliban militants responsible for attacks inside Pakistan, an allegation that Afghanistan denies.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Saturday evening that 352 Afghan Taliban fighters had been killed and more than 535 wounded since the latest phase of hostilities began.
Tarar said Pakistani strikes had destroyed 130 check posts, 171 tanks and armored vehicles and targeted 41 locations across Afghanistan by air. Those figures could not be independently verified.
The United Nations, as well as China and Russia, have called for restraint.
The United States said Pakistan has the right to defend itself against cross-border militancy.
