Pakistan changes laws to punish people ‘disrespecting’ armed forces

In what seems another attempt to muzzle any criticism of its powerful armed forces, the Pakistan government is all set to pass legislation allowing punishment for people for what it says "intentionally ridiculing” its forces.

According to a report in Dawn, the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior has approved a bill to make amendments to the Pakistan Penal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure 1898.

Under the proposed amendment, anyone who shall be guilty of said offense could face up to two years imprisonment or a fine that may extend to Rs500,000, or both.

The amendment appears to have been pushed by the country’s military establishment which has, in recent months, come under constant public criticism by Pakistan’s opposition parties.

Opposition parties have long been deriding “the establishment” - euphemism for Pakistani military- for installing Imran Khan as prime minister.

Khan, who has often been referred “selected prime minister” by his political opponents, was seen defending the army against opposition allegation.

In the 2018 general elections, the Pakistan army - it was believed- had played a direct role to ensure Khan’s victory. The ISI, its notorious intelligence agency, pressured media outlets censuring opposition leaders, abducted and coerced several leaders to switch sides or to withdraw their candidature.

Last year, Nawaz Sharif, the country’s former prime minister, for the first time openly named the army chief and the ISI chief for destabilizing its government. Never before in the history of Pakistan, a senior politician ever named a serving chief of army staff for open interference in the affairs of government.