Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to not criminalise criticism of the Pakistan Army.
Cabinet members are mulling over a law seeking stricter punishment for ‘ridiculing and scandalising the state institutions’.
According to the bill, titled Criminal Laws (Amendment) Act, 2023, whoever makes, publishes, circulates any statement or disseminates information, through any medium, with an intention to ridicule or scandalise the judiciary, the armed forces or any of their member will be guilty of an offence punishable with imprisonment of up to five years or with a fine which may extend to Rs1 million or with both.
The legislation also proposes that the offender be arrested without a warrant and calls for the offence to be non-bailable and non-compoundable which could only be challenged in a sessions court.
In a statement, the RSF asked the PM to abandon the plans to make it an offense to criticise the army as it poses “a serious threat to journalistic freedom”.
“The proposed new law’s wording is extremely vague and its consequences could be disastrous in the run-up to general elections later this year,” the statement added.
The proposed amendments have already come under harsh criticism from human rights activists, as well as lawmakers.
