‘Solution to hate speech may be more free speech’

Panel stresses need to create pluralistic society

A dialogue was held on Friday with members of civil society on class and gender, misuse of laws on the working class, and issues of minorities, following the launch of a report by the Digital Rights Foundation (DRF), titled ‘Blasphemy in the Digital Age’.

DRF Executive Director Nighat Dad initiated a panel discussion moderated by Nabiha Meher Shaikh. Panellists included Senator Dr Ashok Kumar from Balochistan, who is a member a standing committee on religious affairs and inter-faith harmony, Romana Bashir, the executive director of Peace and Development Foundation, and Tooba Syed from the Awami Workers Party.

The panel stressed a need to create a pluralistic society with a focus on humanity. There was also an analysis of class and gender, the misuse of the law affects the working class, charges made against minorities.

The panel advocated a bottom up solution instead of simply expecting the state to rectify this matter.

Waqqas Mir, the author of the report, presented his findings and stated that the solution is not simply to repeal the blasphemy law, but to create a paradigm shift in society. He cited how many countries had similar laws which were no longer implemented. He also discussed the role of companies like Facebook, which often blocks content and provides user data based on requests by the state.

Mir also discussed how laws against hate speech may not be effective, and explained how free speech and hate speech laws can be problematic. A solution to hate speech may be more free speech, cautioning that allowing state censorship would not be an effective solution.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 19^th, 2015.