ISLAMABAD: President Arif Alvi on Saturday assented to the Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Pakistan Army Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
Both legislations were passed by Parliament during the coalition government’s term and were sent to President Alvi for ratification.
According to the Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill, 2023, a person involved in electronic crime, whose purpose is to defame the Pakistan Army, will be prosecuted under electronic crime.
President Alvi signs Army, Official Secrets Acts into law
The clause 03 of the bill in amendment Section 3 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923, a person shall commit an offence if he intentionally for any purpose “approaches, inspects, passes over or is in the vicinity of, or enters, attacks, destroys or otherwise undermines any prohibited place”
“The person shall commit an offence if he intentionally for any purpose makes any sketch, plan, model, or note which is calculated to be or might be or is intended to be, directly or indirectly, useful to an enemy,” it added.
It further stated that a person shall commit an offence if he obtains, collects, records or publishes or communicates to any other person any secret official code or password, or any electronic or modem device, sketch, plan which is calculated to be or might be useful to an enemy of the State. According to the statement of objects and reasons of the bill, “it is imperative to amend the Official Secrets Act 1923 and make it more effective in view of the changing social milieu to ensure safety and security of official documents.”
The clause 7 of the bill described as “any person who incites to commit, conspires to commit, attempts to commit, shall be liable to punishment of imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine which may extend to one million, or both.”
“The investigating officer will be chosen by the Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) under the bill, and a joint investigation team may be formed if necessary.”
The Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill, 2023 paves the way for the punishment of up to five-year rigorous imprisonment to any person guilty of disclosing any information, acquired in an official capacity that is or may be prejudicial to the security and interest of Pakistan or the armed forces.
According to the bill, officials that fall under the law will not be able to participate in political activities within two years of retirement, resignation or dismissal.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023