Senate adopts resolution seeking ‘severe punishment’ for propaganda against army

Published January 1, 2024
PPP lawmaker Bahramanad Khan Tangi moves resolution seeking punishment for propaganda against army in Senate on Monday. — DawnNewsTV
PPP lawmaker Bahramanad Khan Tangi moves resolution seeking punishment for propaganda against army in Senate on Monday. — DawnNewsTV

The Senate on Monday unanimously passed a resolution seeking “severe punishment” for “malicious and negative propaganda” against the armed forces.

The resolution, moved by PPP Senator Bahramanad Khan Tangi, earlier demanded a decade-long disqualification from public office for those “found involved in negative and malicious propaganda against the armed forces and other security agencies of Pakistan”.

However, during the session today, Tangi said he had amended the resolution to remove the demand for a decade-long disqualification and sought action as per the law.

The resolution expressed deep concern over the “negative and malicious propaganda against the armed forces and other security agencies on various social media platforms”.

It highlighted the “huge sacrifices of armed forces and other security agencies in the war against terror and for the defence and protection of the country’s borders” and acknowledges that a “strong army and other security agencies are indispensable for the defence of the country especially in view of the hostile neighbourhood”.

The Senate of Pakistan, therefore, recommends that the government takes necessary steps to award severe punishment as per law for all those found involved in negative and malicious propaganda against the armed forces and other security agencies of Pakistan, the resolution added.

Earlier, the day’s agenda — a copy of which is available with Dawn.com — said caretaker ministers would present a number of bills in the Senate, besides laying resolutions and motions before the Upper House of the Parliament.

Among the bills were the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Bill, 2023, Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023, Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2024, Wapda University Islamabad Bill, 2023, Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (Amendment) Bill, 2023, Fatal Accidents (Amendment) Bill, 2023, National Excellence Institute Bill, 2024, Prevention and Control of Human Trafficking (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and Civil Servants (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

At the previous Senate session, which was convened on Friday, the house was adjourned without transacting any business. The reason was the lack of quorum or in other words lack of interest in the proceedings by members.

Earlier, on the first day of the new session on December 27, the members had barred the caretaker government from laying bills and ordinances, saying with less than two months in elections, what was the urgency in transacting such business by a caretaker set-up.

Must Read

Ukraine, Nato and the future of Europe

Ukraine, Nato and the future of Europe

The spectacle of the verbal spat between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Vlodomyr Zelensky in the Oval Office was stark evidence of a tectonic shift in longstanding US foreign policy on Ukraine, Russia, Europe and Nato.

Opinion

Editorial

After the review
Updated 16 Mar, 2025

After the review

Should prepare economy for durable growth by attracting foreign private investments to boost productivity and exports.
Embracing crypto
16 Mar, 2025

Embracing crypto

IT seems a little prod was all it took for Pakistan to finally ‘embrace the future’. The Pakistan Crypto Council...
Fault lines
16 Mar, 2025

Fault lines

IT was a distressing spectacle, though a sadly predictable one. As the National Assembly took up for discussion the...
Revised solar policy
Updated 15 Mar, 2025

Revised solar policy

Criticism policy revisions misplaced as these will increase payback periods for consumers with oversized solar systems.
Toxic prejudice
15 Mar, 2025

Toxic prejudice

WITH far-right movements on the march across the world, it is no surprise that anti-Muslim bias is witnessing high...
Children in jails
15 Mar, 2025

Children in jails

PAKISTAN’S children in prison have often been treated like adult criminals. The Sindh government’s programme to...