Lahore: In a bid to tighten control over social media, Pakistan is set to bring in a controversial law.
The legislation, passed by the lower house of Parliament on Thursday, grants sweeping powers to the government to regulate online content and even send people to jail for spreading “disinformation”.
Social media companies will have to register with a government-controlled authority and officials will have the authority to promptly block content which is deemed “unlawful and offensive.”
It includes criticism of the government, military and judiciary.
“Spreading ‘disinformation’ is now a criminal offence, punishable by up to three years in prison and a fine of 2 million Pakistani rupees ($7,150),” the law stipulates.
The argument of Shehbaz Sharif’s government is that the law is needed to combat spread of misinformation and hate speech.
But critics have pointed out that such a law will severely restrict free speech, and undermine democratic rights and freedom.
Human rights activist Farhatullah Babar warned that the new law “stifles the freedom of expression” and grants excessive power to the executive, further consolidating the government’s influence over public discourse.
Leader of Opposition Omar Ayub Khan said the bill could “lay a foundation for the suppression of voices advocating for constitutional rights.”
Senior journalists and media organisations have expressed alarm over the law’s potential impact.
Federal Union of Journalists president Afzal Butt opined that the law sought to “suppress the media, social media and journalists.”
