Enacted laws passed by PTI to be used against Imran in future: Maryam Nawaz

Lahore: PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Sunday said that the enacted laws which passed by the PTI-led government will be used against Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and company in future.

The PML-N vice president said after President Arif Alvi signed two ordinances earlier in the day to make changes to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016 and the Elections Act 2017.

In a tweet, Maryam Nawaz maintained that the enacted laws are meant to silence the media and the opposition. "However, these laws will ultimately be used against Imran and company. Don't say that you hadn't been warned,” she tweeted. 

یہ حکومت جو بھی قوانین بنا رہی ہے کہنے کو تو میڈیا اور اپوزیشن کی آواز بند کرنے کے لیے ہے مگر یہ قوانین عمران اینڈ کمپنی کے خلاف استعمال ہونے والے ہیں۔ پھر نا کہنا بتایا نہیں!

— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) February 20, 2022

President Arif Alvi signed two ordinances on Sunday making changes in the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) Amendment Bill 2016 and the Elections Act Amendment Ordinance (EAAO) 2017.

Both laws were signed by the president after the Cabinet approved them. The changes made in the electronic crimes act have been made under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Ordinance, 2022.

According to details, the PECA Amendment Act includes the definition of a person, which includes a person, a company, an association, an institution or an authority, while the amendment bill increases the imprisonment for attacking the identity of any person from three to five years.

As per the ordinance, the aggrieved party, who will be the representative or guardian of the complainant, has been declared a felony and the offense is non-bailable.

The amendment bill states that the trial court will decide the case within six months and will submit the details of the case to the High Court every month.

The ordinance states that federal and provincial governments and officials will be asked to remove obstacles. The ordinance also empowers the chief justice of every high court to nominate a judge along with other officers.

Changes in election laws

The other ordinance signed by the president makes changes in section 181 of the Election Act, 2017.

The amendments have added a new section titled 181 (A) in the law. The new law allows a member of “parliament, provincial assembly or elected member of local government, including member holding any other office under the constitution or any other law, will be allowed to visit or address public meetings in “any area or constituency”.