The accessibility of internet to common man has changed everyone’s lives. The platform provided by the internet has made human interaction easier than ever before. However, such increase in convenience of communication has proportionally increased the inconvenience caused by the abuse of the mediums of communication. Removing barriers to freedom of interaction, has given unfettered capabilities, primarily on social networking sites, to people who post unnecessary and false statements about a person or an entity and thereby harming their goodwill and reputation.
President Dr Arif Alvi has recently promulgated an ordinance to amend the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 (Peca) increasing the jail term for defaming any person or institution from three years to five years by making a change in Section 20 of the law while Federal Law Minister Farogh Naseem has warned that spreading “fake news” was now a non-bailable offence.
Addressing a press conference in Karachi, Federal Minister for Law and Justice Barrister Farogh Naseem on Sunday said that spreading fake news is now a non-bailable offence with five-year sentence as the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act has been amended.
Farogh Naseem said PECA and Election Act have been amended; however, reiterated that the government believes in the freedom of expression but only want to end the spread of fake news. He further said that the trial of the suspect nabbed under PECA will have to be completed in six months and the subordinate court will be accountable to the high court judge over failure to complete the trial of electronic crimes within this period.
