Thursday, 3 November, 2022 I 7 Rabi us Sani, 1444 I Rs 15.00 | Vol XIII No 124 I 12 Pages I Islamabad Edition
FIA weAponIsed to tAke on government crItIcs g
agency gets Powers under PPc to act against PeoPle sPreading ‘rumours’ against state institutions
ISLAMABAD
t
staff report
he government has amended the laws governing the Federal investigation agency (Fia) to empower it with a section of the Pakistan Penal code (PPc) to act against people who intended to spread “rumours and false information against state institutions” on the internet. the cabinet accorded its approval to the amendment to the Federal investigation agency act, 1974, on tuesday, and the Parliament is expected to follow suit later this week. Previously, the authority was exercised by the police alone. offenders will be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years and will also be liable to a fine.
g
cabinet okays amend to Fia act, 1974, which Previously was exercised by Police alone
according to the summary presented before the cabinet, the “Fia has intimated
that presently, social media is inundated with false information and rumours against state institutions and organisations with the intent to cause or incite or which is likely to cause or incite any officer, solder, sailor or airman in army, navy, or air force of Pakistan to mutiny, offence or otherwise disregard or fail in his duty as such.” it further added that these rumours and false information were also being disseminated with the intent to cause, or likely to cause, fear or alarm in the public or in any section of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the state or against the public tranquillity. “Fia has added that these are likely to incite any class or community of persons to commit any offence against any other class or community.” armed with the updated laws, the agency has been empowered to go after people critical of the government and military for publishing “hate material” on social media platforms, including Facebook and twitter. it wasn’t immediately clear what constituted the so-called hate material, or the mechanism to begin legal action against the suspect.
Sanaullah says will withdraw amends to FIA Act if it impact freedom of expression ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Wednesday claimed that the government would not pass the recent amendment to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Act, given if it negatively impacted the freedom of expression. Speaking to the media persons outside the Parliament on Wednesday, Rana Sanaullah said that the government would consult journalists’ representative bodies and other stakeholders on the bill and withdraw it if it restricts the freedom of expression. He, however, pointed out that there were some negative things on social media that needed to be controlled, saying these “negative things” adversely impacting personal lives of people.
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Xi assures Sharif of support for stabilising Pakistani economy BEIJING staff report
chinese President xi Jinping on wednesday reaffirmed china’s commitment to invest in Pakistan despite obstacles created in recent years by security concerns and the global economic slowdown. xi Jinping cited the “all-weather strategic partnership” between the countries during a meeting in beijing with Prime minister shahbaz sharif, according to the official xinhua news agency. Pakistan had been struggling with a balance of payments crisis even before devastating floods hit the country this summer, causing an estimated $30 billion or more in losses. islamabad was expected to seek debt relief from beijing, particularly the rolling over of bilateral debt of around $23 billion. china’s central bank and the state bank of Pakistan (sbP) have signed a memorandum of cooperation recently for the establishment of an rmb clearing arrangement in Pakistan, in a bid to facilitate the use of rmb for crossborder transactions by enterprises and financial institutions in both countries, the People’s bank of china (Pboc) said on wednesday. china and Pakistan should also move forward more effectively with the construction of their economic corridor, as well as accelerate the construction of infrastructure for the gwadar sea Port, Jinping told sharif during their meeting at the great hall of the People — a state building in beijing used for legislative and ceremonial activities. sharif and Jinping also agreed to strengthen multilateral cooperation in diverse fields, including china-Pakistan economic corridor (cPec) and strategic partnership, reported the state-owned associated Press of Pakistan.
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