Cyber Crime Bill passed
ISLAMABAD – National Assembly yesterday passed Cyber Crime Bill 2015 with majority vote paving the way for awarding up to 14 years imprisonment and fine upto Rs 50 million for wrongful use of internet to threaten people, spread panic and chaos by its misuse and for spreading religious hatred.
When the Chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology Capt(Retd) Safdar presented the bill for approval in the Lower House of the Parliament, PTI MNA Amjad Ali Khan, member of the Committee, stood up from his seat and agitated the chair for dropping out his proposals from the draft bill.
Safdar in reply said that he had not received any proposals from PTI MNA. The other members of PTI also joined Amjad in his protest and made the Speaker National Assembly to hold inquiry into the matter.
But despite the demand from the PTI MPs to defer the passage of the bill till the time of holding the inquiry but the chair did not entertain the demand.
Later on the demand of the Opposition the bill was put to voting with 51 votes coming in favour while 37 in Opposition of the bill and hence the bill was passed with majority vote and sent to Senate for legislation.
Safdar highlighting the importance of the bill said that after the launch of military operation Zarb-i-Azb the terrorists had started using internet to spread their propaganda and to terrorise the general public.
Similarly certain other groups and banned religious outfits were also using to further their agenda of hate hence creating a state of uncertainty in the society. So to check all these things they have instituted a bill to punish all those misusing it.
After the passage of the bill from Upper House it will become law and will be enforced at once to control the growing misuse of internet by the terrorists.
The bill landed in controversy from the day first when it was approved by the NA Standing Committee on Information Technology with split mandate in September last.
The main Opposition parties leaders have expressed serious reservations over the bill and feared that its passage would infringe upon civil rights of the people.
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