ISLAMABAD: A bill aiming to penalise the intentional ridiculing and defaming of the armed forces was passed by the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior on Wednesday.
Aper details, critics of the Pakistan armed forces now face two years in jail and fines worth up to Rs500, 000, as per a new criminal law amendment bill passed by.
The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2020 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.
Under the amendment bill, Pakistan’s armed forces and their personnel would be free from any deliberate ridicule, insult, and defamation. Those who do so would be punishable under Section 500A of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), with punishment including jail for two years, a fine of up to Rs500,000 or both.
Moreover, critics of the Pakistani armed forces would face trial in a civil court, according to the criminal law amendment 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.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has voted against the bill even though the remaining three provinces were yet to express their views on it, they argued. “It is against our own institutions and we stand strong with our institutions.
The purpose of this amendment is to prevent hatred and disrespectful behaviour against the armed forces.
