Final discussion: One-hour public hearing on cybercrime bill on Friday
NA panel to hear suggestions from six members of public
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ISLAMABAD:
The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology has decided that it will convene a restricted one-hour public hearing on the proposed Prevention of Electronic Crimes Bill 2015.
The public hearing will be held at 10am on Friday (tomorrow) at the Parliament House, which the public will not be able to enter without special passes. However, according to the panel head Capt (retd) Muhammad Safdar, only six people will be allowed to present their suggestions on the bill. “This will be the final meeting on the issue.”
Khawaja Zaheerul Islam, the special assistant to the prime minister, advised the lawmakers during the panel’s meeting on Wednesday that there was no need to involve the public in the process. “It is in the nature of law to infringe upon certain freedoms. It is the exclusive domain of the legislators to formulate laws without consulting the public. You are public representatives, so yes, hear them out, but don’t allow them to dictate you.”
But State Minister for Information Technology Anusha Rehman said, “Public representatives do not need any public hearing.”
Majority of the committee members, however, advised the legislators against the approval of a weak draft and then drag the issue in the courts.
MQM’s Syed Ali Raza Abidi, PPP’s Shazia Marri and PTI’s Amjad Ali Khan suggested a public hearing be conducted to address criticism on the proposed bill.
“I was not prepared to delay the process further,” Capt Safdar told the panel, “but in respect of my colleagues and committee members, I’m giving another chance to the bill’s critics to provide us with their input.”
The prime minister’s special assistant said it was a natural thing for the public to raise a hue and cry over each and every new idea. “Leadership means you have to move forward come what may.” The state minister for IT said the courts had delegated the powers of content management to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). “Even if we exclude the relevant clause from the draft, the PTA would still have the right to exercise its powers in matters of content management.”
Anusha Rehman said that after deleting the repetitions and irrelevant clauses, the length of the 46-page bill had been reduced to only 13 pages.
In the current draft, the input of all the intelligence agencies are also incorporated, she said. “The Pakistan of 2015 is much different from that of 2007. Therefore, we want this draft passed as soon as possible.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 21st, 2015.
The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology has decided that it will convene a restricted one-hour public hearing on the proposed Prevention of Electronic Crimes Bill 2015.
The public hearing will be held at 10am on Friday (tomorrow) at the Parliament House, which the public will not be able to enter without special passes. However, according to the panel head Capt (retd) Muhammad Safdar, only six people will be allowed to present their suggestions on the bill. “This will be the final meeting on the issue.”
Khawaja Zaheerul Islam, the special assistant to the prime minister, advised the lawmakers during the panel’s meeting on Wednesday that there was no need to involve the public in the process. “It is in the nature of law to infringe upon certain freedoms. It is the exclusive domain of the legislators to formulate laws without consulting the public. You are public representatives, so yes, hear them out, but don’t allow them to dictate you.”
But State Minister for Information Technology Anusha Rehman said, “Public representatives do not need any public hearing.”
Majority of the committee members, however, advised the legislators against the approval of a weak draft and then drag the issue in the courts.
MQM’s Syed Ali Raza Abidi, PPP’s Shazia Marri and PTI’s Amjad Ali Khan suggested a public hearing be conducted to address criticism on the proposed bill.
“I was not prepared to delay the process further,” Capt Safdar told the panel, “but in respect of my colleagues and committee members, I’m giving another chance to the bill’s critics to provide us with their input.”
The prime minister’s special assistant said it was a natural thing for the public to raise a hue and cry over each and every new idea. “Leadership means you have to move forward come what may.” The state minister for IT said the courts had delegated the powers of content management to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). “Even if we exclude the relevant clause from the draft, the PTA would still have the right to exercise its powers in matters of content management.”
Anusha Rehman said that after deleting the repetitions and irrelevant clauses, the length of the 46-page bill had been reduced to only 13 pages.
In the current draft, the input of all the intelligence agencies are also incorporated, she said. “The Pakistan of 2015 is much different from that of 2007. Therefore, we want this draft passed as soon as possible.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 21st, 2015.