EDITORIAL: Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah’s sudden about-turn on the matter of giving FIA (Federal Investigation Agency) more teeth to police social media for content against state institutions smacks more of the realisation that the tide might be turning against his party than any last-minute desire to protect freedom of speech. Why else would the government ask for “guidance” from the journalist community after cabinet approved the summary which, after all, was moved by the interior ministry?
There can be no doubt that PTI’s (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s) long march has raised the political temperature considerably, even though the government has been trying to play it down for its own reasons. But with Thursday’s failed assassination attempt on PTI chairman Imran Khan, all bets might be off when it comes to sanitising social media content. Rana Sanaullah opted for face-saving before the attack, of course, perhaps understanding that this force is too irresistible to stand in front of.
PTI started winning the battle of narratives almost as soon as it lost the government because of the no-confidence motion. And while its social media legions have played a significant role in that stunning success, it is true that often their ethics, and even regard for the law of the land, leaves a little something to be desired. Yet overbearing online warriors are causing problems all around, not just in Pakistan, and there’s very little evidence to suggest that getting outfits like FIA to sort them out is the right way to go about it.
Let’s not forget that the state’s obsession with controlling the flow of information, regardless of which particular party is in power, is a very old problem in Pakistan. It wasn’t too long ago that the current interior minister joined his party colleagues in condemning and opposing the PTI government’s attempts to beef up Peca (Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act) which, ironically enough, was promulgated by his own party some years back amid similar protests. And so this cycle goes on.
It is unfortunate that while proliferation of social media has no doubt revolutionised the flow of information, it has also soured public discourse to a great extent. And at some point something will be done about it all over the world. It’s also a great national tragedy that the legal system is so broken down and compromised, and libel and defamation laws all but non-existent, that only the rich and powerful can come back happy from the courts when they are wronged. Therefore, a good place to start is desperately needed legal reforms.
By approaching this issue from the FIA instead, the government clearly betrayed the same old desire to keep everyone, especially its rather loud opponents, in check and teach a good lesson or two when and where needed. And the U-turn now suggests, rather loudly itself, that the interior minister is at least wise enough to back down rather than be forced back. It is also very likely, like a lot of observers have started saying, that he too fears his government will not last too long and he might end up getting targeted by an amendment of his own creation.
The turbulence of the next few weeks and months is sure to light up social media. An integral part of the backlash against the attack on PTI’s leadership, especially the chairman, is no doubt going to come online, and a lot of things are going to be said that will upset members of the political elite as well as the powerful establishment. All sides must show restraint. Internet users should understand that freedom of expression can never come without a sense of responsibility, while the state, with its back on the ropes, should also understand that it is no longer possible to silence dissent by force and intimidation.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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