PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Peoples Party Central Leader and Leader of Opposition in Senate Yusuf Raza Gilani vowed to challenge the amendment to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (PECA) law in the Supreme Court.
Gilani said that the PPP rejects the law, adding that the Senate had the meeting on February 17 but the government issued the ordinance from the president house on February 18. “The government wants to intimidate political opponents by making such laws,” Gilani said while talking to media. He said by issuing such a “draconian” ordinance, the government wanted to impose restrictions on the media.
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Yesterday, the Federal Law Minister Farogh Naseem said that those who spread fake news will face five years sentence after the amendment to Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016. Naseem said that the law was important for containing fake news. Besides, the convict will also face a fine of Rs1 million. Addressing a news conference, the minister said that spreading fake news will be a non-bailable crime and arrest will be made without a warrant. The minister claimed that the government has introduced the Journalists Protection Bill for the first time.
Yousaf Raza Gilani said that PPP had a role in the formation of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and it is encouraging for democracy that the opposition is united today. The PPP leader said that inflation and unemployment are on the rise. He said that the people were promised 10 million jobs, five million houses but the government is now snatching source of living from common men.
The PPP leader said that the ruler don’t trust the parliament and relying on presidential ordinances. He said that in parliamentary form of government, no one can ignore the role of parliament. He reiterated that PPP will start the “people’s march” from Karachi on 27th. The former prime minister said that the march will stay in Hyderabad on 28th March, Sukkur on March 1 and will reach Rahim Yar Khan on March 2, then Bahawalpur and Multan on March 3.