Pakistan’s Lahore High Court Rules Sedition Law Unconstitutional

The Pakistan’s Lahore High Court on Thursday struck down Section 124A of the Pakistan Penal Code, which criminalises sedition.

Single-judge Justice Shahid Karim was of the view that Section 124A which criminalises sedition, was deemed inconsistent with Pakistan’s Constitution as it violated Article 19, which guarantees freedom of speech and expression.

Pakistan’s sedition law is similar to that of India. It states, “Whoever 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 by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, to which fine may be added, or with imprisonment for three years, to which fine may be added, or with fine.”

The said verdict was pronounced in a slew of petitions seeking to annul the sedition law as being ultravires in terms of Article 8 of the Pakistan’s Constitution, as well as inconsistent with and in violation of fundamental rights guaranteed by 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 Pakistan’s Constitution.