Bilawal defends PECA, 26th Amendment at Oxford

Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari stated on Tuesday that the recently passed 26th Constitutional Amendment was approved in a compromised form rather than its original version.  

Speaking at Oxford University, Bhutto claimed, “PPP, as far as a parliamentary force, is the only party to consistently oppose the legislations,” adding that he wanted to draw the attention of those criticising PECA amendment to the fact that the original proposal had included 30-year imprisonment as penalty for social media posts. 

“We [PPP] always engaged in a process and contributed through amendments our input to passing [PECA amendments], which is not an ideal legislation, but better legislation than was initially proposed (sic),” Bhutto said, defending the changes.

On January 29, President Asif Ali Zardari signed PECA amendment into law, despite the journalist fraternity raising concerns.

Section 26(A) of the PECA amendment bill states: “Whoever intentionally disseminates, publicly exhibits, or transmits any information through any information system, that he knows or has reason to believe to be false or fake and likely to cause or create a sense of fear, panic or disorder or unrest in general public or society shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend upto three years or with fine which may extend to Rs2m or with both.”

He downplayed claims that the PPP had weakened democracy by passing the 26th Constitutional Amendment, maintaining that democracy in Pakistan is not very stable. In the same breath, Bilawal claimed Pakistan is not the only country facing the challenge of an unstable democracy.

Separately, the opposition's two-day Grand Alliance Conference, focusing on the supremacy of the constitutions, commenced in Islamabad on Wednesday. 

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) chief Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Awam Pakistan's President Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen's (MWM) Nasir Shirazi and others were present in the meeting.

Addressing the conference, former premier and ex-Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leader Abbasi said that the incumbent government was so fearful today that even a conference to discuss the Constitution could not take place.

Lambasting the PML-N and PPP for imposing restrictions on the conference, Abbasi questioned why the authorities had failed to end political instability in the country. “When political parties abandon their principles, nations cannot function,” he added.