ISLAMABAD: The Senate has approved a bill aimed at modernizing the legislative framework to combat cybercrimes in Pakistan. According to the official report, the bill “primarily seeks to modernise … the legislative framework for combating cybercrimes in Pakistan.” Interior Secretary Yousaf Naseem Khokhar emphasized that the bill was drafted in good faith and is intended to “protect the general public … and to make the in-field act more effective to protect people’s rights.”
With Senate approval, the bill now awaits the president’s signature to be enacted into law.
One key provision, Section 26A, introduces penalties for the dissemination of false information. The section defines this as any information shared by a person who “knows or has reason to believe [it] to be false or fake and likely to cause or create a sense of fear, panic, or disorder or unrest in the general public or society.”
In a related development, the National Assembly has also passed “The Digital Nation Pakistan Bill, 2024,” introduced by Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja. The bill seeks to create a digital identity for citizens, centralize social, economic, and governance data, and transform Pakistan into a digital society. Its stated goals include enabling a digital economy and enhancing digital governance.
Journalists Reject Amendments, Announce Protests
The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has voiced strong opposition to the cybercrime bill amendments. In a press release, the PFUJ announced a nationwide protest today at 3 PM, urging all journalist unions to demonstrate outside their respective press clubs.
“We had appealed to the government of Pakistan and elected representatives to consult all stakeholders before passing the amendments from the Senate of Pakistan,” the statement read. “We reject these amendments as they go against the spirit of the Constitution.”
The PFUJ also called for a united front among journalists to send a strong message to the government and other authorities responsible for the amendments.
