Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) has said that the bill criminalising criticism of the armed forces recently passed by the National Assembly's standing committee on Interior violates Article 19 of the Constitution.
In a statement, the bar council said, "Every patriot citizen respects all institutions of the country including armed forces. Each and every Pakistani also expects from the institutions to serve the nation and remain [within] their domain as enshrined in the Constitution."
Further, the PBC called on the government to withdraw the bill or else the bar council will move the court against the proposed legislation.
The NA standing committee on Interior passed a bill making amendments to the Pakistan Penal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure 1898 to act against those who 'intentionally ridicule' the armed forces.
Federal Ministers Fawad Chaudhry and Shireen Mazari have condemned the bill on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/ShireenMazari1/status/1380162311764197385?s=20
In a statement, the bar council said, "Every patriot citizen respects all institutions of the country including armed forces. Each and every Pakistani also expects from the institutions to serve the nation and remain [within] their domain as enshrined in the Constitution."
Further, the PBC called on the government to withdraw the bill or else the bar council will move the court against the proposed legislation.
The NA standing committee on Interior passed a bill making amendments to the Pakistan Penal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure 1898 to act against those who 'intentionally ridicule' the armed forces.
Federal Ministers Fawad Chaudhry and Shireen Mazari have condemned the bill on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/ShireenMazari1/status/1380162311764197385?s=20