ISLAMABAD – Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah said it looks like somebody has misguided Prime Minister Imran Khan on the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act law.
Justice Minallah made the remarks during the hearing of a petition filed against the controversial ordinance by the Lahore High Court Bar Association officials.
“It was apparent from the speech made by the premier, that he was misguided,” the judge remarked saying anti-defamation laws already existed in the South Asian country. He clarified his stance saying such laws are implemented to target the critics.
Justice Minallah made the statements a day after Prime Minister backed the PECA ordinance, saying that the amendments were brought to curb filth such as child pornography on social media platforms.
The filthy content being shared on social sites is no less than a threat to the institution of family, Khan said while quoting a journalist who reported that the First lady left Bani Gala over some marital dispute.
Pakistan makes fake news punishable through presidential ordinance
Khan slammed some journalists saying they were spreading filth for the sake of money, adding that the ‘good journalists had no issue with new legislation’.
In a similar development, the court clubbed the application filed by the LHCBA with other petitions against PECA, which is dubbed as draconian laws, by journalists’ bodies and activists.
Court bars FIA from making arrests under new defamation laws
