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LAHORE: PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Sunday slammed the PTI-led government for amending laws that would pave way for penalising defamation against the army, judiciary, public servants and government institutions.
Taking to Twitter, the PML-N leader said the laws being amended by the government were apparently aimed to stifle dissent in the country but in reality they will be used against Prime Minister Imran Khan and his aides.
“Whatever laws this government is amending are meant to silence the media and the opposition but these laws are going to be used against Imran & Company,” she wrote on Twitter.
یہ حکومت جو بھی قوانین بنا رہی ہے کہنے کو تو میڈیا اور اپوزیشن کی آواز بند کرنے کے لیے ہے مگر یہ قوانین عمران اینڈ کمپنی کے خلاف استعمال ہونے والے ہیں۔ پھر نا کہنا بتایا نہیں!
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) February 20, 2022
Her comment came after President Arif Alvi signed two ordinances earlier in the day to make changes to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, (PECA) 2016, and the Elections Act, 2017.
Both laws were signed by the president after the Cabinet approved them. The changes made in the electronic crimes act have been made under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Ordinance, 2022.
Under the ordinance, the definition of a “person” has been broadened to include any company, association, institution, organisation, authority, or any other. Furthermore, anyone found guilty of attacking a person’s “identity” will now be sentenced to five years instead of three years.
The ordinance also states the informant or the complainant shall be “aggrieved person, his authorised representative, or his guardian, where such person is a minor or a member of the public in respect of a public figure or a holder of public office”.
Cases falling under PECA will be supervised by a high court and the trial court will have to conclude the case within six months.
The other ordinance signed by the president makes changes in section 181 of the Election Act, 2017. The amendments have added a new section titled 181 (A) in the law.
The new law allows a member of “parliament, provincial assembly or elected member of local government, including member holding any other office under the constitution or any other law, will be allowed to visit or address public meetings in “any area or constituency”.
