According to records posted on the parliament's website on Wednesday, a Pakistani ruling party parliamentarian has tried to send to jail an army that "mocks or defames or defames anyone".
Civil rights groups and opposition parties
have long said the military interferes in politics and has supported crackdowns
on critical voices, an allegation the military denies.
"The amendment is aimed at curbing
hate and degrading treatment of the armed forces," said Amjad Ali Khan,
chairman of the parliament's standing committee on defense.
The bill imposes imprisonment for up to
two years and a fine of up to Rs 500,000 ($ 3,012.59).
Information Minister Shibli Faraz did not
respond to a request for comment.
The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)
party has a simple majority in the lower house of parliament but not in the
upper house where it cannot legislate without the support of the opposition.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Opposition
Senator Pervez Rashid said, "If the powerful circles intend to pass it and
make it a law, they will do it." "I'm afraid it will be
misused."
Reema Omer of the International Commission
of Jurists, a South Asian legal expert, said the move was unnecessary because
the constitution already guarantees the sanctity of the armed forces.
The introduction of the bill is in line
with the controversy over the reporting of allegations by Pakistani news
website Fact Fox that a former general, Asim Saleem Bajwa, as a special adviser
to Prime Minister Imran Khan, in June had embezzled millions of dollars in
family assets. Did not announce
Bajwa denies the allegations. After
retiring last year, Bajwa also became chairman of the China-Pakistan Economic
Corridor.
Last week, police arrested a journalist
accused of defaming the army
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-jorterist-arrest/pakistani-jorterist-arrested-for-defaming-military-idUSKBN2622SY
Police also registered cases against two other journalists for defaming the
army.
($ 1 = 165.9700 Pakistani Rupees)
READ MORE
