Science and Technology Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Thursday said it was “absolutely ridiculous” to criminalise criticism, a day after a lower house panel passed a bill proposing stern punishment for disrespecting the armed forces. Fawad wrote that it was an absolutely ridiculous idea to criminalise criticism. The minister further said he strongly believed that instead of introducing new laws to discourage criticism, the laws dealing with contempt of court “should be repealed”. On Wednesday, an NA committee passed the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2020, aimed at preventing hatred and disrespectful behaviour against the armed forces. The panel deferred five other private members bills that were the National Database and Registration Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2020; the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (Section 298); the National Database and Registration Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (Section 35); the Islamabad Rent Restriction (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (Section 11) and the Pakistan Penal Code (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (Section 375).

Source: The Express Tribune April 08, 2021 14:37 UTC