Bill passed in Pakistan’s Parliament regarding social media (symbolic photo)
Islamabad: The upper house of the Parliament of Pakistan has passed a controversial bill on Tuesday. Regarding this bill, critics say that it has been designed to suppress freedom of expression. Electronic Crime Prevention (Amendment) Bill 2025 or PECA Act was introduced by Industry and Production Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain. The Bill gives the government a comprehensive right to impose heavy fines on social media users to spread wrong information and send them to jail.
President will sign
The last obstacle in the bill of the bill has also been removed due to the approval by the Senate on Tuesday. Now it will be sent to President Asif Ali Zardari, who is expected to sign it soon. Under this bill, the officers will form an agency Digital Rights Protection Authority (DRPA), which will have the power to immediately order to block the material considered to be “illegal and objectionable” on social media.
Punishment will be given for spreading wrong information
The materials criticizing judges, armed forces, parliament or provincial assemblies can also be blocked. Those who fail to follow it may face temporary or permanent restrictions. The law has also been considered a criminal act to spread wrong information, for which a three -year jail and a fine of Rs 20 lakh (US $ 7,150) or both can be.
Imran Khan’s party protested
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan spokesman Zulfikar Bukhari said that his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Party (PTI) would challenge the bill in court. He said in a statement, “A bill has been passed from both houses of Parliament to suppress the freedom of expression on the pretext of dealing with fake news and no democracy-passed person can support it.” (AP)
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