March 22, 2024
By Ahmed Saeed
LAHORE:
A few days ago, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi suggested that strict laws were required to fight fake news in Pakistan. “We need to make better laws,” he said.
Naqvi pointed to recent actions in the US, where TikTok was banned, as evidence that even in a democracy like the US, restrictions on social media platforms are implemented. “What’s the harm in us proposing regulations?” he asked.
His statement, issued at a time when the social media platform X is banned and journalists are being tried under Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca), has raised concerns among rights activists.
This is not the first time that the state authorities have shown their intent to regulate the media industry and the issue of fake news through new laws.
Referring to the Peca, Farieha Aziz, digital rights activist, said that following the Islamabad High Court’s decision to strike down Section 20 and its implications for ‘harm to reputation’ under this law, “the government wants to revert the changes made earlier.”
She adds, “The government wants to regain that power by introducing a new law”.
In 2021, the then PTI-led federal government tried to introduce a new set of laws and a new media authority – the Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA) – to deal with the issue of fake news.
However, the media organisations termed the government’s bid unacceptable, considering it an attempt to suppress free speech under the guise of combating hate speech.
The government later scrapped the idea of PMDA, following a series of protests from journalist bodies.
Mazhar Abbas, a senior journalist, expressed concern that in Pakistan, restrictions are often imposed under the guise of regulations. While supportive of media regulations, Abbas said that the laws should not be used to curtail free expression or target media personnel. “It is time we adopt self-regulation. Discussions about self-regulation within media houses have been ongoing for too long. The media stakeholders must act responsibly now.”
Adnan Rehmat from the Freedom Network stressed on the importance of consulting journalistic organizations before introducing laws regarding fake news in Pakistan. “The existing laws governing the media industry are already overly stringent and undermine citizens’ rights.”
He supports the necessity for consultation in a democratic state and advocates for adherence to existing laws and regulations, cautioning against further restrictions – “The laws should aim to resolve issues without impeding free speech and expression.”