Pakistan's Lahore High Court declares sedition law unconstitutional

The Lahore High Court of Pakistan on Thursday struck down Section 124A of the Pakistan Penal Code, which criminalises sedition, Daily Pakistan reported..Single-Judge Justice Shahid Karim was of the view that Section 124A which criminalises sedition, was inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution of Pakistan as it violates Article 19 which provides for freedom of speech and expression..The law of sedition in Pakistan is identical to the one in India. It states:Whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards, the Federal or Provincial Government established by law shall be punished with imprisonment for life to which fine may be added, or with imprisonment which may extend to three years, to which fine may be added, or with fine..The said verdict was pronounced in a batch of petitions seeking to annul the sedition law as being ultravires in terms of Article 8 of the Constitution of Pakistan and also being inconsistent with and in derogation of fundamental rights provided under Articles 9 (right to life), 14 (right to dignity), 15 (freedom of movement), 16 (freedom of assembly), 17 (freedom of association) and 19 (freedom of speech), 19A (right to information) of the Constitution of Pakistan..India has an equivalent provision in the Indian Penal Code which is inoperative for the time being due to an interim order passed by the Supreme Court last year. .In May 2022, the Supreme Court had directed that proceedings under Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalises sedition, be kept in abeyance till the government's exercise of reviewing this law is complete. This came after the Central government submitted an affidavit before the Court stating that it has decided to re-examine and reconsider the provision.The top court in its order asked governments not to continue investigation or take coercive steps in all pending proceedings under the provision till the government's exercise is complete.Should such cases be registered, the parties are at liberty to approach court and court has to expeditiously dispose of the same, the Court added."It would be appropriate to put the provision in abeyance," the Court's interim order said..[BREAKING] Sedition: Supreme Court orders Section 124A IPC to be kept in abeyance; asks Central government, States not to register new cases