President Dr Arif Alawi issued the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (PECA) 2022
Pakistan has introduced new amendments to the laws governing social media. On Sunday President Dr Arif Alawi issued the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (PECA) Amendment Ordinance which changed the definition of a person.
According to the Prevention of Electronic
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| President Dr Arif Alawi issued the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (PECA) |
Crimes (PECA) person now includes any company association institution or authority while the amended ordinance has increased imprisonment for attacking the identity of any individual from three to five years.
According to the Presidency Prevention of Electronic Crimes (PECA) Ordinance the offending party who will be the representative or guardian of the complainant has declared the offense as trespassable and non-bailable.
The amended Prevention of Electronic Crimes (PECA) Ordinance states that the trial court will decide the case within 6 months and submit the details of the case to the High Court every month. According to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (PECA) if the High Court finds that there are obstacles to speedy disposal of the case it will ask to remove the obstacles.
According to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (PECA) Ordinance federal and provincial governments and officials will be asked to remove barriers. The Chief Justice of each High Court will nominate a judge and officers for these cases.
Why is there a need to amend the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (PECA) Ordinance?
Law Minister Forough Naseem, a member of
Prime Minister Imran Khan's federal cabinet, made it clear at a press conference on Sunday that under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (PECA) Ordinance fake reporting will not be guaranteed and no one will be exempted. Will not
Journalist Mohsin Baig Arrest FIA
According to himthe law is very important to eradicate fake news, so now those who spread fake news will be punished for five years instead of three years. He further added that the crime would not be bailable and it would be possible to arrest him without a warrant.
The Law Minister further said that Prevention of Electronic Crimes (PECA) Act will be for all and any ordinary citizen can be a complainant against false news about celebrities.
Asked about the need for these amendments, Forough Naseem said Bad language was used against (former) Chief Justice Gulzar false news of divorce was spread about the first lady.
It should be noted that the PTI government is facing severe criticism for relying too much on ordinances for legislation. More than 70 ordinances have been issued in the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan since August 2018.
Opposition parties position on PKK amendments
Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Sherry Rehman has criticized the government's plan to cancel the scheduled session of the National Assembly without an official announcement and to issue two ordinances on election campaign and social media.
What is the opinion of cyber law experts?
Nighat Dad, a social activist and head of the Digital Foundation, which has a keen eye on social media laws, told the CCR that when the PML-N enacted the PKA law, they were made to understand that It will be used against them but they did not understand and later their workers became the target of this controversial law.
It should be noted that in the previous government, in August 2016, a bill was passed by the National Assembly to prevent the Electronic Crime Act 2016.
According to Nighat Da Pakistan is now in the PTI government and they still do not understand that when they are in opposition then these amendments will become a headache for them.
She says it is such a draconian law that the last five or six years have seen the misuse of this law. Now it has been tightened by introducing further amendments to the law.
Sadaf Khan of Media Matters for Democracy told the CCR: This is a law that has a direct bearing on constitutional and human rights which also applies to political discourse and criticism.
She says any amendment to it should have been made through a formal parliamentary procedure and that the amendment through a presidential ordinance is against democratic values. According to him, the main purpose of all the amendments seems to be to tighten the noose on freedom of expression in the country.
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