Islamabad (AP) - Pakistan's upper house of parliament passed a controversial bill on Tuesday that critics argue aims to suppress freedom of speech. The legislation, which was previously approved by the lower house last Thursday, empowers the government to impose severe fines and imprison social media users for disseminating disinformation.

The Senate's approval signifies the final step in the bill's legislative journey. It will soon be forwarded to President Asif Ali Zardari for his signature, which is anticipated to be granted swiftly. Under the terms of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, the government plans to establish an agency tasked with the authority to immediately block content identified as "unlawful and offensive." This includes any content that poses criticism against judiciary members, the armed forces, parliament, or provincial assemblies.

Failure to comply with these directives could result in either temporary or permanent bans from social media platforms. Moreover, the law categorizes the act of spreading disinformation as a criminal offense, with penalties that may include up to three years in prison and a fine of 2 million rupees (approximately $7,150).

The progression of the bill comes in the wake of protests from opposition members while it was deliberated in the National Assembly. On Tuesday, Shibli Faraz, an opposition leader in the Senate, voiced his objections against the swift passage of the legislation, stating that it was enacted without adequate consultation with all relevant stakeholders.

Zulfiqar Bukhari, a spokesperson for former Prime Minister Imran Khan's political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), announced their intention to challenge the bill in court. "The bill has been passed through both houses of parliament to stifle freedom of expression under the guise of combating fake news, and no advocate of democracy can support it," he expressed in a statement.

Pakistan's media landscape has encountered an increasing degree of censorship in recent years. Nevertheless, the government, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, advocates that the new law is essential for curbing the spread of disinformation. Critics fear that the legislation could further limit free speech and dissent in a country where media freedoms have already been under siege.