Thread by @azamshaam

Thread on PECA Act
I was one of those reporters who did witness parliamentary proceedings on the legislation process on Pakistan Electronic Crime Act (PECA). Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq had referred this bill to a standing committee of the house headed by Captain M Safdar. 1/14

In a haste, the son-in-law of PM Nawaz Sharif had sent back this to speaker to table this before the house. I'd covered all this in details for The Express Tribune. Despite strong opposition from than opposition PPP, PTI and MQM, PML-N didn't budge an inch.
2/14

Dr Shireen Mazari was even more vocal then her daughter Iman Hazir Mazari against PECA. Seeing strong position of his party's legislators, Imran Khan also jumped in and had accused PML-N's intentions behind this move, pointing dominance of his young fans on the internet.
3/14

MNA Amjad Khan Niazi was another PTI's MNA along with Shireen Mazari who gave toughest time to Captain led panel over this legislation.
MQM's (assassinated) MNA Ali Raza Abidi did also oppose this process vehemently, while arguing convincingly against such proposed curbs.
4/14

Civil society and organization working for internet and digital rights made hue and cry and they also predicted misuse of such laws to suppress the freedom of expression. Speaker NA thrice returned back this draft to Captain, who had outsourced this project 2 Anusha Rehman.
5/14

Then technology minister, Rehman, had started calling media as a hoax and she also asked in a strong tone to the fellow lawmakers to ‘not hamper this sacred draft’. She also accused me to working on an agenda to discredit N-League-led govt at someone's behalf'.
6/14

To be fair with my readers. There is a context of this BlameGame.I was the organizer of a seminar at National Press Club Islamabad that was held to discuss repercussions of this legislation for journalists particularly. Social activist Usama Khilji also spoke at the seminar.
7/14

When the process had lingered on and I was dubbed as a `paid agent' for posing all such developments in a very negative manner.' Though I didn't report anything out of text or context... then what was discussed during such meetings.
8/14

In one of such huddles, ISI's officials were invited to brief the parliamentarians on the importance of this digital-oriented legislation. This meeting of the sub-committee was chaired by MNA Awais Laghari.
9/14

I was not aware that it was an in-camera-session. I was in middle of a meeting when the ISI official had also proposed that 7 year's old child will also face legal action for his or her online activities. With honest and due credit to the MNAs...
10/14

They unanimously turned down this proposal from ISI guy, who was arguing that we are facing 5th generation warfare and in a hybrid kind of information era now even six and seven years old can make the significant difference.
11/14

I started writing notes for the surprise of few unknown to my right and left. They successfully removed me from that session. MNA Laghari had requested me to not write anything in the paper around this session. Right or wrong, I did report in da larger public interest.
12/14

Today is PTI's era that means PM is Imran Khan n Dr Shireen Mazari is the Fed Minister for Human Rights. She holds a BSc. Hon from the London School of Economics and a Masters, MPhil n PhD from Colombia University, USA. And now PTI is busy in making Tabdeeli in N's draft.
13/14

Beware: N-League today is criticizing PTI for new amendments in the PECA. All others are now also suggesting PTI that these laws will be misused against social workers and PTI's own workers. But PTI is adamant apparently.
Here are the details why?
14/14
bbc.com/urdu/pakistan-…