Two senior Pakistan ministers oppose law seeking 2-year jail term for anyone critical of armed forces
The dissenting voices of Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry and Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari came after a Pakistani parliamentary panel endorsed the law on Wednesday.
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ISLAMABAD: Two senior federal ministers in Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan s Cabinet have voiced their opposition to a controversial law which seeks to criminalise any criticism or ridicule of the country s powerful armed forces with a two-year imprisonment or fine up to Rs 50,000 or both.
The dissenting voices of Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry and Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari came after a Pakistani parliamentary panel endorsed the law on Wednesday.
Top Story
April 8, 2021
ISLAMABAD: Critics of the Pakistan armed forces now face two years in jail as well as fines worth up to Rs500,000, as per a new criminal law amendment bill passed Wednesday by the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior.
Submitted by PTI lawmaker Amjad Ali Khan, the bill was approved by a majority. The chairperson of the standing committee, Raja Khurram Shahzad Nawaz, broke the 5-5 vote tie by voting in favour of the proposed bill.
PPP leader Syed Agha Rafiullah, as well as the PML-N’s Marriyum Aurangzeb and Chaudhry Nadeem Abbas Rebaira, argued against the bill, saying it would be used against freedom of
Daily Times
April 8, 2021
Criticism against Pakistan’s armed forces will now attract two-year jail term as well as fines worth up to Rs 500,000, according to a new criminal law amendment bill passed Wednesday by the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior, a private TV channel reported.
Submitted by PTI lawmaker Amjad Ali Khan, the bill was approved by a majority. The chairperson of the standing committee, Raja Khurram Shahzad Nawaz, broke the 5-5 vote tie by voting in favour of the proposed bill.
PPP leader Syed Agha Rafiullah as well as PML-N’s Marriyum Aurangzeb and Chaudhry Nadeem Abbas Rebaira argued against the bill, saying it would be used against freedom of expression in Pakistan. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has voted against the bill even though the remaining three provinces are yet to express their views on it, they argued. “Criticism in good faith should not be misunderstood. Why are they being made sacred cows,” they argued further.
ISLAMABAD: Amid stiff resistance offered by the opposition parties, a parliamentary body, on Wednesday, passed a bill seeking to make intentionally ridiculing and defaming the armed forces a punishable crime.
The National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior, which met with MNA Raja Khurram Shahzad Nawaz in the chair, passed the Criminal Law (amendment) Act 2020, moved by MNA Amjad Ali Khan
Khan, while briefing the committee about the bill, said that the main objective of the bill is to prevent hatred and disrespectful behavior against the armed forces and to take strict action against those who bring disrepute to the armed forces institutions as per law.
NA panel passes amendment bill
Top Story
April 8, 2021
ISLAMABAD: Critics of the Pakistan armed forces now face two years in jail as well as fines worth up to Rs500,000, as per a new criminal law amendment bill passed Wednesday by the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior.
Submitted by PTI lawmaker Amjad Ali Khan, the bill was approved by a majority. The chairperson of the standing committee, Raja Khurram Shahzad Nawaz, broke the 5-5 vote tie by voting in favour of the proposed bill.
PPP leader Syed Agha Rafiullah, as well as the PML-N s Marriyum Aurangzeb and Chaudhry Nadeem Abbas Rebaira, argued against the bill, saying it would be used against freedom of expression in Pakistan.