A case has been registered against a senior female official of a federal agency under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (PECA) Act for propagating against the Pakistan Army and national institutions.
The National Cyber Crime Agency registered a case against a female official of a federal agency in Lahore. The case was registered in the official complaint, which also includes PECA and other provisions.
According to the text of the case, the accused is a senior official in a federal department. During the Pakistan-India tension, the accused tried to incite people against national institutions in the WhatsApp group.
The text of the case states that derogatory messages against the Pakistan Army were confirmed from the WhatsApp chat on the accused’s mobile phone. A new clause, Section 26 (A), has been added to the PECA Act, in which action will be taken against those who spread false information online.
It may be recalled that the PECA Amendment Bill was passed this year, Section 26(A) of which states that ‘Whoever knowingly spreads such (fake news) that causes fear, panic or disorder in the public and society, such person shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 3 years or with a fine which may extend to Rs. 2 million or with both.’
According to the bill, the Cyber Crime Wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has been dissolved and a new investigative agency, the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), has been formed to investigate illegal activities on social media.
The bill proposed to establish a ‘Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority’ (SMPRA) and stated that this authority would be empowered to register or deregister social media platforms and determine standards, and would facilitate social media platforms as well as ensure the protection and rights of users.
