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A Pakistani high court on Thursday struck down a colonial-era sedition law that criminalized criticism of federal and provincial governments, saying it was unconstitutional.
The petition argues that the Sedition Act, enacted in 1860, was a hallmark of British colonial rule, Geo News reported. (figurative)
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Lahore High Court (LHC) Judge Shahid Karim has annulled Section 124-A of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) on sedition, Dawn reported.
Judge Karim delivered the verdict on the same petition seeking to repeal the sedition law, the newspaper said.
One of the petitions, filed by a citizen named Haroon Farooq, like all the others, urges the court to declare PPC Section 124-A an “overreach under Article 8 of the Constitution, not consistent with and consistent with constitutional derogations from Fundamental rights enshrined in Articles 9, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 19, 19A of the Constitution”.
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The law states: “Any person, whether orally or in writing, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, arouses or attempts to arouse hatred or contempt for a federal or provincial government, or to arouse or attempt to arouse Those who are dissatisfied with the federal or provincial government shall be sentenced to life imprisonment and may also be fined, or to imprisonment for not more than three years and may be fined or may be fined.”
The petition argues that the Sedition Act, enacted in 1860, was a hallmark of British colonial rule, Geo News reported.
The petition added that the law applied to slaves, under which cases could be registered at the request of anyone.
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The petition states that Pakistan’s constitution grants every citizen the right to freedom of speech but still enforces Article 124-A for speaking against the rulers.
According to the petition, the law is being recklessly used as an exploitative tool in Pakistan to curb the right to free speech guaranteed by Article 19 of the constitution.
The petition says the law is “a notorious tool to suppress dissent, free speech and criticism in free and independent Pakistan”.
The petition alleges that many politicians, journalists and activists have been registered under Section 124-A over the past few years.
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