ICC Note:

Christians in Pakistan have expressed concern over Pakistan’s new cyber security law saying it could be used to stop online evangelism. Due to extreme religious intolerance, evangelism in Pakistan is very difficult. Many ministries use online platform both to increase their reach but to also provide security. If Pakistan uses this new law to cut off these online platforms, one of the last safe ways to evangelize in Pakistan could be lost. 

11/25/2016 Pakistan (Herald Malaysia Online) – A controversial cyber security law that allows Pakistan’s government to widen police online activity may cut off one of the last evangelization avenues left in the Muslim-majority nation.

Catholic communication experts claim that the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Bill, passed in August, could be used as another way to silence Christian voices.

“The internet is an important tool to proclaim the word of God and faith formation in the Islamic republic. Many priests use Facebook to share their activities in restive regions. Restricted internet means restriction on evangelization,” Father Qaiser Feroz, director of the Workshop Audio Visual Education studio, the national Catholic communication center, told ucanews.com.

“The bill is ambiguous and could be misused,” the priest said. “We support the ban on immoral sites and content against religious belief but there should be no restriction on information related to democracy or development.”

The Pakistani government said that the new powers are needed to protect citizens against the threat of terrorism, according to a Reuters report.

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