The stringent media law amendments passed by the Imran Khan government as an ordinance is drawing widespread criticism within and outside Pakistan as it is alleged to place fetters on the constitutional rights of citizens.
The Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) amendment ordinance makes it a criminal act to slander any organisation, institution set up by the government, further increasing the punishment of three years imprisonment for guilty to five years.
Human Rights Watch has asked the government to revoke the law which violates the basic rights of people, including journalists calling it an intentional attempt to suppress free expression.
Amnesty International also criticised the law.
Notably, the opposition parties – Joint Action Committee (JAC) set up by media bodies and the judiciary in Pakistan stand united against the Imran Khan government’s flagrant attempt to stifle the voice of dissent.
The Islamabad High Court, while hearing a petition against the PECA amendment ordinance, observed that Imran Khan might have been misled by his advisers when briefed about the law.
In a speech delivered to the nation, Imran Khan said the amendment was made to fight the “filth of child pornography and harassment of women”.
Imran Khan also singled out a media group for its criticism of the government, implying that the media in Pakistan deals in ‘fake news’.
The media in Pakistan say while this seems a deliberate attempt to defend the law, Imran Khan who is well aware of the consequences of the “draconian” law, the very observation of the court that he might have been misled shows its antagonism to the law.
The opposition to the law in Pakistan allege that the amendment to PECA demonstrated that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has given up its pretence of allowing parliamentary discussion by relying on presidential ordinances to bulldoze laws violating fundamental rights.
Also, the new media law is reported to be a malevolent intention behind the PECA amendment which are clearly demonstrated by PTI ministers’ regular speeches in support of it and their verbal attacks on journalists, according to those opposed to the law.
PECA ordinance is a black law through which the government wants to gag journalists and society at large, according to the media in Pakistan.
Nneka Ukachukwu
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