ISLAMABAD: Cabinet members on Wednesday contested 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.
During the cabinet session, the lawmakers, mainly from Pakistan People’s Party’s, within the ruling alliance contested the proposed law.
They termed the proposed amendments to the penal code against basic human rights.
The lawmakers were of the view that the proposed legislation then should cover every segment of society, including politicians, and media persons among others.
According to reports, PPP leaders Sherry Rehman, Naveed Qamar, and Hina Rabbani Khar were among those who strongly opposed the proposed bill. Meanwhile, Khawaja Saad Rafique was the only Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz lawmaker to have opposed the bill.
After the opposition from the cabinet members, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif formed a cabinet committee to decide the matter.
The proposed amendments have come under harsh criticism from human rights activists, as well as lawmakers.
