Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said on Wednesday that the government would consult the journalists and other stakeholders on the decision to grant special powers to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to take action against those spreading hateful content on social media.

“There are some things in social media that need to be controlled as they disturb people’s privacy,” the interior minister said in a tweet.

Sanaullah said that if the amendment leads to the restriction on freedom of expression, the government will withdraw the bill.

Last week, the federal cabinet approved amendments in the FIA Act through a summary moved via circulation with an aim to grant special powers to take action against those spreading hateful content on social media.

The proposal has also recommended the inclusion of Section 505 of the Pakistan Penal Code in the FIA Act.

Once the bill is approved, the FIA will also have the authority to take action on any kind of fake news and rumours on social media.