PHOTO: FILE
A sensitisation session for journalists on the Prevention of Electronic Cyber Crime Bill (PECB ) was organised on Wednesday.
Journalists from various media organisations participated at the event, according to a press release. The event was organised by Pakhtunkhwa Civil Society Network (PCSN) in collaboration with Blue Veins, Tribal NGOs Consortium (TNC), Peace Justice and Youth Organisation (PJYO) and AAS Foundation.
Tracking cyber laws
Various experts spoke to journalists about the journey of the cybercrime laws in the country. The Prevention of Pakistan Electronic Crime Ordinance (PECO) 2007 was presented under Article 89(2) of the Constitution. The ordinance was then redefined in 2008, 2009 and 2014 and a new draft of the PECB 2015 was sent to the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on IT and Telecommunication in May 2015.
The Ministry of IT has currently made amendments to the previously drafted bill. It talks more about internet control in which users will be fined for sharing any information the government deems inappropriate, vulgar or against Islam.
According to the handout, at the sensitisation session, various clauses of the cybercrime bill were discussed in detail. The participants appreciated the government’s effort of introducing a bill which can prevent cybercrime, terrorism and electronic fraud but expressed their disappointment in the vague language of the bill which in its current shape has the potential to pose a serious threat to fundamental rights and freedoms in Pakistan and can promote criminalisation of dissent.
Freedom of expression
According to the document, the journalists expressed grave concerns over the current state of cybercrime bill and called it an attempt by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government to take legislative control of internet freedom in Pakistan. They feared control of cyber space by the government may lead to numerous violations of their basic rights including access to information, privacy, and freedom of speech – all of which remain fundamental to their profession.
The journalists expressed their concern on the lack of inclusiveness and transparency by the standing committee of National Assembly on IT in finalising the draft of the bill.
Further grievances
“The bill is aimed at regulating internet usage and control of civil liberties and focuses less on cybercrime,” the press release quoted a civil society activist Qamar Naseem as saying. He added people will support the government in its efforts to curb extremism and militancy through electronic and online means but it must remove controversial clauses from the bill before it is presented in the assembly.
According to the document, Jamil Khan, a member of the governing body at Peshawar Press Club said, “In today’s reality of Pakistan, digital media is a basic tool for communication where people express their points of view on political, social and other issues and the government cannot just take away these rights with a legislation so vague.”
The handout also quoted PCSN Coordinator Taimur Kamal as saying, “Many coherent strategies to counter cyber-attacks are missing in the bill and technical language used in it is vague.” He added the bill therefore, should be redefined in order to make it acceptable.”
Human Rights Director Noor Zaman Khattak also participated in the event and assured his full cooperation in conveying these messages to the relevant ministry at provincial and federal levels.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 7th, 2016.
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