National Assembly’s standing committee on Information Technology headed by MNA Captain (R.) Muhammad Safdar gave approval of a controversial cyber bill. The response to this news was havoc. Social media filled up with trends like ‘WeRejectCyberBill’. Masses have rejected the bill and censured it, as they termed it against their freedom of speech.
The approved bill will be forwarded to National Assembly for discussion and further approval. The State Minister for Information Technology Anusha Rehman Khan said that this bill will provide security to the citizens and will make sure that anyone who criticizes religion, state and its institutions will be brought to justice. Cyber security must be ensured to welcome new investments in the e-commerce and Information Technology, The State Minister added. Some legal experts had the opinion that the bill was poorly drafted and it lacked the technical legal terms. Some critics termed the bill rather a threat to ordinary citizens instead of providing security.
[alert style=”white”] Twitter shows the top Pakistani trend in discussions today is ‘WeRejectCyberBill’. [/alert]
Here are some Tweets on this issue:
Government is trying to silence us in the name of Cyber Crime Bill. Silence terrorists, not us. #WeRejectCyberBill
— Khurram Zaki (@intaffairs) April 16, 2015
What is the official legal way to voice against this #NewCyberBill? We don’t accept it. #WeRejectCyberBill #VerySerious Any #lawyers here? — Sadiya Azhar (@SadiyaAzhar) April 16, 2015
Purpose of Social Media After this bill?
The day this new Cyber Bill is passed we should all delete our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram etc for good.. :’) #WeRejectCyberBill
— A. (@ImViVaciousA) April 16, 2015
The masses have not only censured the terms of the bill but totally rejected and termed it as looting of their rights. The majority had a view that this bill had political motives which the ruling party has planned to achieve.