News brief
Associated Press
Pakistan passes disinformation bill. Pakistan’s upper house of parliament passed a bill on Jan. 28 that critics say threatens freedom of speech. The bill grants the government extensive powers to impose heavy fines and incarcerate social media users for spreading disinformation. In response, journalists rallied on Jan. 28 in the country’s major cities, including Islamabad, Karachi, Faisalabad, and Lahore, vowing to resist government efforts to suppress freedom of speech. Pakistan’s media has faced growing censorship in recent years, and the bill will now be sent to President Asif Ali Zardari, who is likely to sign it quickly.
