Pakistan govt starts preparation for ‘Digital Rights Protection Bill’

ISLAMABAD: The government of Pakistan has started working on the Digital Rights Protection Bill to ensure the rights of women, children, and minorities, sources said on Saturday.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has given the target to the Ministry of Information Technology and the necessary legislation will also be enacted to pave the way for international social media companies to invest in Pakistan.

Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar said that the government is working on legislation related to social media, and more policy guidelines will be introduced on the behavior of internet users.

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The proposed legislation will also help in the fight against harassment and blackmail of women, crime through the dark and deep web, and removal of blasphemy content from social media. Sources said that the purpose of the legislation is to create a conducive environment and digital ecosystem in which social media companies can function in a full-fledged manner.

The Digital Rights Protection Bill will prove to be an effective weapon against terrorism and extremist policies. The bill will lead to progress in removing content related to children and minorities and ensuring the protection of rights related to cyberspace.

The IT ministry has already commenced the formulation of recommendations and policies, with the assistance of experts in the field.