Balancing Freedom of Expression and Hate Speech Regulations: A Comparative Analysis of Pakistani and United Kingdom
Keywords:
Freedom of Expression, Hate Speech, Legal Framework, Human Rights, Judicial Oversight, Public Order, Socio-Political Dynamics, Online Regulation, Proportionality, ECHR, Blasphemy LawsAbstract
This paper offers comparative research on freedom of speech and hate speech legislation in Pakistan and the United Kingdom. Freedom of speech, which falls under the freedom of expression that is a fundamental human right, always comes under pressure from societal demands to ban hate speech, primarily where it fuels discrimination, hatred or violence. Currently, in Pakistan, there is freedom of speech and expression under Section 19 of the Constitution, but this indeed comes with certain restrictive elements, which are abstract, vague and have long arms claiming to protect religious feelings, public order, and morality. These restrictions, combined with social and religious pressures, cause an uneven application and relatively frequent use against minorities and political opposition. On the other hand, the legal framework of the United Kingdom has provisions based on Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights and other laws such as the Public Order Act 1986 as well as the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006. The UK framework also reflects the importance of the judiciary keeping watch and the principle of proportionality; the regulation of hate speech has more straightforward indications from the UK framework. However, some present problems in dealing with online hate speech and concerns about overreach still need to be addressed. Using the existing legal doctrines, enforcement measures, and levels of judicial supervision as topics of comparison, this research reveals the specific aspects of Pakistan that require enhancement, including the specificities of the legal language and the effectiveness of the independence of the judiciary. The paper’s results underlay the imperative of containing the right to freedom of speech concerning the protection of endangered populations, opening up reforms that could create a better civil liberty-society harmony in both nations
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