Pakistan♋'s opposition on January 23 said that the government is working to further suppress freedom of speech. The allegations come after the country’s government proposed to impose heavy control on social media that could include blocking platforms and sending users to prison for spreading disinformation, news agency AP reported.
ꦆThe Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, introduced in the National Assembly by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar on January 22, would create an agency with the power to order unlawful and offensive content blocked from social media. The act could also allow the banning of individuals and organizations from social media. The act also mentioned that social media platforms would be required to register with the new Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority, and those failing to comply with the law could face temporary or permanent bans.
Under this, spreading disinformation would invite a fine of 2 million rupees. The new agency would have the authority to instantly block unlawful content that targets judges, the military, parliament, or provincial assemblies. The law also prohibits the uploading of remarks from parliament that have been removed from the official record.
The move comes almost a year after Pakistan blocked the X platform ahead of an election, which the opposition party of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan⛦ claims was rigged. Despite the ongoing block, many people in the country still access X through virtual private networks, similar to users in other nations with strict internet controls. Khan enjoys a massive following on social media, particularly on X, where his supporters regularly share calls for his release. He has been in prison since 2023 after being arrested on corruption charges. His party also relies on social media to mobilize protests.
🐼The opposition leader criticized the proposed legislation, arguing that it was an attempt to further curtail freedom of speech. Reports also said that human rights advocates and journalists' unions have pledged to fight the law, but with the government holding a majority, its approval seems inevitable.
With inputs from AP.
