Bill Criminalizing Military Ridicule Introduced in Pakistan

Pakistani soldiers practicing for a military parade (Wikimedia Commons).

A member of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has introduced a bill that would imprison anyone who “ridicules or brings into disrepute or defames” the military, according to a report by Reuters.

The Pakistani military has shared a tumultuous relationship with the government, heavily interfering in its functioning. It has also been responsible for overthrowing elected governments and imposing martial law for nearly half the country’s history. Some experts have argued that the Pakistani government has been a puppet of the military throughout its history. 

According to the aforementioned bill, a person who criticizes the military can be subject to a fine of up to 50,000 rupees (about $302.30) and two years of jail time. Even though the bill hasn’t been passed, Pakistani journalist Bilal Farooqi was arrested earlier this month because of his anti-military social media posts. 

Soon after the introduction of this bill, opposition parties united to unleash a new anti-government movement. Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif,  along with other popular opposition leaders, spoke up against Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s alleged mishandling of the military, and even accused  the military of  manipulating  the 2018 election that brought Khan  into power. “It is saddening that the situation has escalated to the level where we now have a state above the state,”  Sharif said in a video statement.

While the government’s efficiency in tackling the COVID-19 crisis in Pakistan has kept Khan’s popularity intact, the growing distress among the opposition regarding the military could become widespread hostility.