Human rights activist and noted lawyer Asma Jahangir has said that criticising a state institution on its negligence is a right of everyone which cannot be snatched.
“It is a right of everybody to criticise an institution on its negligence, no one can snatch this right,” she said this while talking to journalists on Tuesday. She condemned treatment to political activists and journalists as well as threatening calls to them by the Federal Investigative Agency (FIA).
“If this practice of threatening calls and harassment of political workers and journalists continue and public voice is gagged, then a severe backlash will come because it is a very inappropriate thing,” she underscored. Recently, some journalists have received phone calls from Counter-Terrorism Wing instead of the Cyber-Crime Cell of the FIA – a strange move, she pointed out.
“The Security of Pakistan Act, 1952, is there which ensures the safety of defence and foreign affairs related information,” she said, adding that it was beyond any comprehension people were being arrested at present under what law.
She remarked that Clause 9 of the Cyber-Crime Bill which has been recently passed by the parliament was such a clause which may be misused. “It seems from the prevailing situation that the government is misusing it,” she added.
