The government has reportedly suspended "Citizens Protection (Against Online Harm) Rules, 2020," following massive backlash from different segments of society, foreign social media companies as well as the United States, it is learnt.
Approved by the federal cabinet on January 28, 2020, the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication through a notification stated that in exercise of the powers conferred under clause (c) of sub-section (2A) of section 8, sub-section (1) of section 54 and clause (ag) of sub-section (2) of Section 57 of the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) Act, 1996 (XVII of 1996) and the sections 35, 37, 48 and 51 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, (XL of 2016) the federal government has made the rules called the Citizens Protection (Against Online Harm) Rules, 2020.
The notified rules were made available on the MoITT website. However, soon after the notification the government came under severe criticism from different sections of society, while observing that the rules are in contradiction with the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) as well as the Constitution.
The rules are no more available on the MoITT's website. When BR approached MoITT Secretary Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui for his comments, he stated, "Rules are not suspended and the committee would decide about amendment to these rules."
However when asked why these rules are not available on the website, the secretary said that these were made available for public information and might have been removed now.
He however, said that it would be checked. A visit to the MoITT website revealed that rules framed back in 2000, 2004 and 2006 are still available but rules approved and notified around 30 days ago are no more there. Critics observed that the rules were aimed at controlling freedom of expression and silencing their voices, which would also impact digital growth in the country.
The Asia Internet Coalition (AIC) expressed its concern over the rules and wrote a letter addressed to Prime Minister Imran Khan, saying that these rules will severely cripple the growth of Pakistan's digital economy. In fact, the rules would make it extremely difficult for AIC members to make their services available to Pakistani users and businesses.
Social media companies including Facebook, Google and Twitter had warned to abandon work in the country. The United States responding on the rules, observed that the "new restrictions" on social media platforms in Pakistan could be a "setback to freedom of expression and development of digital economy".
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