The Pakistan Senate passed Monday unanimously a resolution seeking stringent penalties for spreading harmful and negative propaganda against the armed forces.

Resolution no. 560 expressed deep concern regarding the proliferation of negative and malicious propaganda against the armed forces and other security agencies on various social media platforms. It underscored the significant sacrifices made by the armed forces and security agencies in the war against terror and for the defence of the country’s borders. Recognising the essential role of a strong military and security apparatus, especially in the face of a hostile neighborhood, the Senate of Pakistan recommended that the government take appropriate measures to impose severe legal penalties on individuals engaged in negative and malicious propaganda against the armed forces and other security agencies of Pakistan.

The resolution, originally proposed by the a member of the Senate’s second largest party, Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) Senator Bahramanad Khan Tangi, initially called for a ten-year disqualification from public office for individuals engaged in negative and malicious propaganda against the armed forces and other security agencies of Pakistan. However, in yesterday’s session, Tangi announced an amendment to the resolution, eliminating the request for a decade-long disqualification and instead advocating for legal actions to be taken. Nevertheless, responding to criticisms of the resolution, the senator tweeted, “My name is Bahramand Khan Tangi, and I am also a Pakistani. It was my duty to honor and respect the forces of Pakistan. The army is mine and the army belongs to Pakistan and I am a Pakistani. I still say that those who spread propaganda against Pakistan forces. Their heads should be crushed.”

Resolution no. 561 was also passed by the Senate. This resolution acknowledges the rising drug use among university students, emphasizing the prevalence among hostelized individuals. Recommendations include revising higher education curricula to educate students about drug risks and implementing the ‘Policy on Drug and Tobacco Abuse in Higher Education Institutions 2021’ through university monitoring mechanisms.