Islamabad, Jan 29 (EFE).- Pakistan’s main opposition party announced on Wednesday that it will challenge the recently approved amendments to a new social media law, which have also sparked protests among civil society.
The amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) were approved with the aim of combating the publication of fake news on social media platforms, according to the government.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the party of opposition leader and former Prime Minister Imran Khan, said that the new definition of fake news will suppress press freedom in the country and, with it, democracy.
“PTI as a party, opposes the draconian law. We will challenge this and keep resisting until this black law is taken back,” PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram told EFE on Wednesday.
The contentious amendments to the PECA Act were approved on Tuesday by the Pakistani senate, making changes to the country’s cybercrime laws that would criminalize the “intentional” spread of “false news” with prison of up to three years, a fine of up to 2 million rupees ($7,100), or both.
The bill now awaits the signature of the country’s president, Asif Zardari, to become law.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said that it ed its , Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), in demanding the immediate repeal of the “draconian legislation” and urging the government to protect freedom of expression as guaranteed in the country’s constitution.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (J), in a statement on Tuesday, said that fears of free speech mounted in Pakistan after the law was ed.
“The Pakistan Senate’s age of amendments to the country’s cybercrime laws is deeply concerning. While on its face, the law seeks to tamp down the spread of false news, if signed into law, it will disproportionately curtail freedom of speech in Pakistan,” said Beh Lih Yi, J’s Asia program coordinator.
Under the bill, four new government bodies will be established to help regulate online content and broadening the definitions of online harms.
The four agencies include a new National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) which will investigate illegal activities on social media.
Digital media freedom has already been undermined in Pakistan with measures by telecom authorities to slow down internet speeds.
X, a microblogging platform formerly known as Twitter, has been blocked for more than a year now.
Pakistan was ranked at 152 out of 180 countries by Reporters Without Borders on its 2024 world Press Freedom Index.
The South Asian country is one of the most dangerous places for journalists to work, as per the organization that defends press freedom. EFE
aa-igr/pd
