2 years in jail, Rs500,000 fine for mocking Pakistani forces as amendment bill passed

[VCheng]

And anti-establishment political parties banned and majority of journalists fired.

You say that as if it were a bad thing!

 

[flameboard]

Most countries that pass laws like this are rotten from the inside and crumbling because they feel jokes are powerful enough to topple them. Commonly these policies were found in Soviet era communist states and many Arab nations. These are not laws to be proud of.

I personally think Pakistan and Pakistani forces are strong enough to stand up to any comedian. The freedom of expression I have had as a Pakistani made me proud compared to my friends from other Muslim countries that were too afraid to speak out.

 

[Reichsmarschall]

To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize
- Kevin Alfred Strom

Am I allowed to criticize women, minorities ,blacks and kids with chronic diseases like cancer/thalassemia etc?

 

[Jungibaaz]

All hail the benevolent millitocracy. To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize, etc. etc.

 

[ACE OF HEARTS]

Ridicule, insult and defamation

How do you define these words?
Which dictionary is being used to define these words?

Armed forces are working out of there way in the workings of this country

How will they NOT face CRITICISM?
Trying to hide behind the law. Hadd hoty Hai

 

[SecularNationalist]

And what about the constructive criticism.Criticism for exposing corruption and wrong use of power.
No one institution should be a given a god like status in pakistan.

 

[Norwegian]

And what about the constructive criticism.Criticism for exposing corruption and wrong use of power.
No one institution should be a given a god like status in pakistan.

 

[lastofthepatriots]

Lo ji, Army walay’a nu hor sir te charao.

I am against censorship of any kind, unless it is regarding religion.

 

[User]

Here is the Bill

​

 

[Jungibaaz]

I agree - too broad.

In general I have an issue with these kinds of restrictions.

That said, given Pakistan's unique circumstances, there does need to be some kind of control on the allegations of military involvement in politics based solely on rumor mongering. I'm not saying the military has not meddled in politics in the past, but at what point do we agree that the military establishment has taken a hands off approach in domestic politics, even if it continues to influence foreign policy through the proper channels (much as is done in the US)?

In my view these kinds of allegations end up damaging democracy in Pakistan.

IMO whether or not allegations of army meddling are bad for democracy, is a subject that is open to debate, and broadly depends on whether you lend any credence to such notions. However, this particular bill is undoubtedly an affront to that same democracy. If the motivation behind the bill is to protect the reputation of our democracy, then an old Vietnam era protest quip comes to mind: "bombing for peace is like [fornicating] for virginity".

 

[krash]

Well the 1980s called....

 

[JamD]

On a lighter note lol

 

[Imran Khan]

1898 act of pakistan what a stupid LAWs we have a country can not make her own laws after 75 years of freedom

 

[TigerOfMysore]

2 years in jail, Rs500,000 fine for mocking Pakistani forces as amendment bill passed
Pakistan
Azaz Syed
April 07, 2021

PTI lawmaker Amjad Ali Khan had submitted the new amendment bill, which was passed by a majority vote

(Top) The National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior meets for a session in Islamabad, Pakistan. Geo Urdu/Files; (Bottom) The Pakistani armed forces during a parade. Geo.tv/Files

• Critics of Pakistan's armed forces to face two years in jail, fine worth up to Rs500,000 or both, as pernew criminal law amendment bill.
• National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior passed bill submitted byPTI lawmaker Amjad Ali Khan.
• The committee's chairperson, Raja Khurram Shahzad Nawaz of the PTI, broke the 5-5 vote tie by voting in favour of the bill.
• "Criticism in good faith should not be misunderstood. Why are they being made sacred cows," the lawmakers against the bill argued.

ISLAMABAD: Critics of the Pakistan armed forces now face two years in jail as well as fines worth up to Rs500,000, as per a new criminal law amendment bill passed Wednesday by the National AssemblyStanding Committee on Interior.
Submitted by PTI lawmakerAmjad Ali Khan, the bill was approved by a majority. The chairperson of thestanding committee, Raja Khurram Shahzad Nawaz, broke the 5-5 vote tie by voting in favour of the proposed bill.
PPP leaderSyed 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.
"However, criticism in good faith should not be misunderstood. Why are they being made sacred cows," they argued further.
Under the criminal law 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 time of two years, a fine of up to Rs500,000 or both.
Furthermore, critics of the Pakistani armed forces would face trial in a civil court, according tothe criminal law amendment bill.

2 years in jail, Rs500,000 fine for mocking Pakistani forces as amendment bill passed

Critics of Pakistan's armed forces to face two years in jail, fine worth up to Rs500,000 or both, as per new criminal law amendment bill.National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior passed bill submitted by PTI...

www.geo.tv

@Horus @waz @The Eagle @krash @Jungibaaz @PakSword @ghazi52 @SQ8 @Areesh @Zibago @Patriot forever @ziaulislam @Del @Verve @muhammadhafeezmalik @FOOLS_NIGHTMARE @Indus Pakistan @Jazzbot

Terrible law. The military should not support this. This will not help them in the slightest bit and further drive a wedge between people and her institution. Such laws have never worked in any setting, and if anything further weakens the institution.

 

[krash]

I agree - too broad.

In general I have an issue with these kinds of restrictions.

That said, given Pakistan's unique circumstances, there does need to be some kind of control on the allegations of military involvement in politics based solely on rumor mongering. I'm not saying the military has not meddled in politics in the past, but at what point do we agree that the military establishment has taken a hands off approach in domestic politics, even if it continues to influence foreign policy through the proper channels (much as is done in the US)?

In my view these kinds of allegations end up damaging democracy in Pakistan.

I can't disagree more vehemently. The military, or anyone for that matter, has no right to curb any criticism, right or wrong, against it. Criticism is the right of every Pakistani and the only tool to steer the ship which has been beached by this very corrupt institute multiple times. It is literally the only tool any society has to progress. This is a pathetic attempt made on the shoulders of morons sitting on public seats to give this corrupt institute a free hand to continue with its corruption. The same corruption which has damaged democracy in Pakistan infinitely more than the criticism against it combined with all the politicians. They need to march back to the barracks and take care of what I pay them to.

We already had the rabid Mullah who would kill you for criticizing him, now we have the cowards in uniform afraid of words as well.