PNA proposes bill up to 3 yrs in jail for disclosing identities of intel officials

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's National Assembly on Tuesday passed a bill making changes in the hundred-year-old colonial-era law to award up to three years imprisonment for disclosing the identity of members of intelligence agencies, informants or sources.

The "Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill, 2023" was moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Murtaza Javed Abbasi.

"It is imperative to amend the Official Secrets Act, 1923, and make it more effective in view of the changing social milieu to ensure the safety and security of official documents," the Statement of Objects and Reasons of the bill said.

The bill proposes adding Section 6-A (unauthorised disclosure of identities) to the act, under which "a person shall commit an offence who intentionally acting in any manner prejudicial to public order, safety, interests, or defence of Pakistan, or any part therefore, discloses in such a manner that exposes the identity of such undisclosed persons in any manner the identity of the members of intelligence agencies, informants or sources thereof".

It proposes imprisonment for a term of up to three years and a fine extending to Rs 10 million.

It also introduces an additional definition for "enemy" in Section 8-A, meaning "any person who is directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally working for or engaged with the foreign power, foreign agent, non-state actor, organisation, entity, association or group guilty of a particular act tending to show a purpose that is prejudicial to the interest and safety of Pakistan".

It also substitutes Section 9 (attempts or incitement to offences) by stating that anyone who "incites, conspires, attempts, aids or abets the commission of an offence would be punished with the same penalty and liable to be proceeded against in the same manner as if they had committed the offence".

The bill also makes changes regarding the issuance of search warrants, carrying out investigations and admissibility of material collected by officials.

It would go to the upper house and, if passed unchanged, would be sent to the president's office for endorsement before promulgation as a law.

The changes in the Official Secret Act come on the heels of amendments made in the army laws to jail up to five years for disclosing sensitive information about the security of the military and the country.

The outgoing assembly is on the legislation spree. In addition to the Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill, 2023, it passed the Toshakhana (Management and Regulation) Bill, 2023 and the Pakistan Airports Authority Bill, 2023.

Minorities' leader Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani also introduced three private members' bills, which were all passed.

These included the Promotion and Protection of Gandhara Culture Authority Bill, of 2023, the Margalla International University Bill, of 2023 and the Thar International Institute Bill, of 2023.

The term of the National Assembly will end on August 12, and the ongoing session may be the last one.