Red alert: PECA ahead
The writer is a freelancer based in Kandhkot, Sindh. He can be reached at alihassanb.34@gmail.com
Red alert! Tighten your lips, numb your mind, guard your cognition, bury your curiosity, undo your habits, and lock your intellect. A word, a phrase or a sentence against any authority can land you in jail. Dare not think, else you won’t help speak the truth. Dare not voice dissent against failed policies and institutional highhandedness. Dare not indulge in political debates or discussions with your friends or colleagues. Dare not criticise representatives of state institutions or members of political parties. Dare not disapprove of their arguments because no matter what they say or do, they are protected by PECA. The mere act of questioning has become an unpardonable sin and a non-bailable offence.
What is true for you can be “false” for government bodies, the political elite and aristocrats, for you aren’t the authority to establish what the truth should be. For it is the authorities you speak of that are empowered enough to exploit and establish the truth. If your words go against their interests, it shall simply be deemed as “false” and vice versa. Hence, even your rightful criticism can land in the ambit of falsehood. Be not disillusioned by the inclusiveness of PECA. As the draconian law indicates, political parties, institutions and organisations are immune to PECA. They are sacred enough to continue with impunity while misguiding, misleading and misinforming the hapless masses. They can manipulate emotions, mould laws in their favour, make hallow promises, frame myopic policies with disastrous outcomes and remain beyond scrutiny.
What happened to Article 19 of the Constitution under which all citizens have the right to freedom of expression, freedom of speech? The amendment to Section 20 of PECA and the restriction on criticism are politically motivated and aimed at clamping down on dissenting voices. Extending the definition and scope of persons to include key state institutions or other bodies speaks volumes of political mal-intent and strengthening totalitarian tendencies. It appears to be an armour for the ruling party against the opposition parties in particular and the masses in general. Rather than using it as a tool to curb falsehood, it is being used to shove certain realities under the carpet in order to promote falsified, manipulated, populist narratives that are partial to the favours of the government and the aristocracy. Moreover, anything that goes against the status quo is to be complained against and tried under PECA. The long-term consequences of this are that it would further strengthen authoritarianism and protect or reinforce the corrupt and exploitative practices of the ruling elite. PECA is going to be yet another blow to the decaying transparency and democracy of the country since those daring to question status quo would be shown the door to prison. Amendments to PECA through a presidential ordinance, bypassing parliamentary backing or popular assent, indicates the unpopularity of the move.
In such an environment, any democratic set-up would entail space for dissent. This includes criticism of governments and institutions and their policies. As the very soul of democracy, dissent and censure ensure political and societal evolution in a manner that is in sync with the evolving global dynamics. Curbing criticism under the guise of falsehood is tantamount to bringing societal development to a grinding halt. Such repressively growing censorship and curbs on speech is indeed an attack on the already fragile foundational tenets of our democracy.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 2nd, 2022.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.