ISLAMABAD – The federal cabinet on Wednesday approved an amendment in country’s laws introducing seven-year jail term for people involved in spreading hateful content on social media.
The cabinet has proposed the inclusion of Section 505 of the Pakistan Penal Code in the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Act.
The amendment, if approved by the Parliament, will empower FIA to take action against those spreading fake news and rumours on social media.
The cabinet approved the amendments in the FIA act through a circulation summary, which will become law after it is passed by the Parliament.
Earlier this year in February, President Arif Alvi had approved an ordinance to make amendments in the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, (PECA) 2016 after it was approved by the then Imran Khan-led government.
The law had proposed a five-year jail term for those criticising state institutions, including the Pakistan Army, judiciary and others on electronic media.
However, the Islamabad High Court had declared the ordinance “unconstitutional” in April after it was challenged by the media bodies in the court.
