On April 16 2015, the National Assembly IT Standing Committee passed Version 4 of the draft of the Pakistan Electronic Cybercrimes Bill. The current revision of the bill, now known as the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Bill, is linked below. Post-2014, the consultation process was undertaken behind closed doors without the necessary public oversight and consultation from civil society stakeholders. Along with other rights groups, we are disturbed at the manner in which the bill has been revised, in effect criminalising freedom of expression, the right to privacy, and curtailing civil liberties.

Article 34, for example, permits “authorised” officers of the state to block or remove any information if the state:

“considers it necessary in the interest of the glory of Islam, or the integrity, security or defence of Pakistan or any part thereof, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency or morality.”

Given that the government has not permitted civil stakeholders from providing input, how these terms have been defined in the context of the bill is problematic, and possibly subject to broad interpretations that may not permit in-depth critical analysis of the failures of this bill.

Prevention of Electronic Crimes Bill 2015