By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Senate on Thursday passed a bill that would punish anyone who leaks unauthorized information about the country’s security or military with up to five years in jail, amid a row over former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s alleged disclosure of official secrets.
The bill, which amends the Pakistan Army Act, 1952, was moved by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and aims to tighten the rules governing the conduct and discipline of army personnel.
It comes a week after Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) formed a joint investigation team against Khan for “prejudicing” national security and the interests of the state, accusing him of exposing diplomatic correspondence between Washington and Islamabad last year.
Khan has said the correspondence, which he claims was part of a US conspiracy to topple his government, was leaked by a former aide who has since been arrested. Washington denies the charges.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said last Wednesday that Khan would face criminal proceedings under the Official Secrets Act, alleging that his ex-principal secretary had admitted the former prime minister leaked the correspondence to create a false narrative to serve his political goals.
The bill passed by the Senate on Thursday proposes a five-year imprisonment or fine or both for any person who “communicates or attempts to communicate any information relating to the security of Pakistan or any part thereof or relating to the defence services of Pakistan or any part thereof which he knows or has reason to believe to be prejudicial to the safety or interests of Pakistan”.
The bill proposes adding a new section to the act that would punish anyone who discloses or causes to be disclosed any information acquired in an official capacity that is or may be prejudicial to the security and interest of Pakistan or the armed forces with rigorous imprisonment for up to five years.
However, the bill also provides an exception for those who seek prior approval from the chief of army staff (COAS) or any officer empowered by him for such disclosure.
The bill also proposes introducing another section that would forbid any person subject to the act from engaging in any kind of political activity for two years from the date of their retirement, release, resignation, discharge, removal, or dismissal from the service.
The period of prohibition would be extended to five years for those who have remained posted, employed, seconded, tasked, or otherwise attached to sensitive duties. Anyone who violates this condition would face up to two years of rigorous imprisonment.
The bill also proposes introducing three more sections that would deal with conflict of interest, electronic crimes, and defamation.
According to the bill, any person subject to the act in the past five years would be barred from entering into employment, consultation or other engagement with an entity having conflict of interest with the activities of the Pakistan Army or its affiliates, unless they obtain prior approval from the COAS. The penalty for this offence would be up to two years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs500,000 or both.
The bill also states that any person subject to the act who commits an offence under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca), 2016 with the malafide intention to undermine, ridicule, or scandalize the armed forces would be punished in accordance with the Peca law.
Furthermore, the bill states that any person subject to the act who ridicules, scandalizes, brings into hatred or otherwise attempts to lower the armed forces or any part thereof in the estimation of others would be punished with up to two years of imprisonment or fine or both.
The bill also proposes giving the COAS the power to issue instructions for carrying into effect the provisions of the act and the rules and regulations made thereunder and to delegate any of his powers and functions conferred by or delegated under the act to any officer or authority subordinate to him.
The bill will now be sent to the National Assembly for approval. If passed by both houses of parliament, it will become law after receiving assent from the president.
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