ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN – The Federal Cabinet of Pakistan has established a committee to examine a proposed bill that would impose a five-year prison sentence on anyone who insults the Pakistan Army or judiciary through any medium. The bill aims to amend the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
The Cabinet Committee, which was formed in a meeting on Tuesday, includes Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, and Economic Affairs Minister Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, as well as representatives from coalition parties. The committee will submit its report to the next Federal Cabinet meeting.
During the meeting, a majority of cabinet members expressed opposition to the amendment. Prominent opponents included PPP leaders Sherry Rehman, Naveed Qamar, and Hina Rabbani Khar. PML-N’s Khawaja Saad Rafique was the only member of the party to oppose the proposed bill outright.
The Prime Minister recommended the formation of the committee to review the proposed bill and address the concerns of the cabinet and allied parties. The bill, entitled the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Act 2023, would add a new section 500A to the PPC 1860, titled “Intentional ridiculing or scandalizing of the state institutions, etc.”
The bill suggests that anyone who makes, publishes, circulates, or disseminates any statement or information with the intention to ridicule or scandalize the judiciary, the armed forces, or any of their members will be guilty of an offense punishable with simple imprisonment for up to five years or a fine of up to PKR 1 million, or both. The offense will be non-bailable and non-compoundable, and can only be challenged in a sessions court.
The Federal Cabinet stated that the country has recently witnessed a rise in scandalous, derogatory, and vicious attacks on certain state institutions, including the judiciary and armed forces. It claims that these attacks are focused on undermining the integrity, stability, and independence of the country’s state institutions and that the legal amendment is necessary to address the issue.
Under the proposed bill, prior approval from the federal government is required before taking cognisance of the case or registering a First Information Report (FIR) against any person to avoid misuse of the mooted PPC section.
The Federal Cabinet’s decision to establish a committee to review the bill has sparked discussions and debates in the country. The outcome of the committee’s review and its impact on the country’s legal framework will be closely watched in the coming days.
