Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act: Senate body orders withdrawal of 378 cases

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Information, chaired by Senator Syed Ali Zafar, on Wednesday declared 378 cases registered under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) by provincial authorities as illegal and ordered their immediate withdrawal. The committee also announced the formation of a sub-committee to ensure compliance and oversee the implementation of PECA across the country.

Senator Zafar stressed that no citizen should be prosecuted unlawfully and cautioned against using PECA as a tool for censorship. Referring to cases registered under the category of “anti-state” activities, he noted the need to differentiate between genuine threats to national security and criticism of government policies. “If pointing out inadequate flood response is treated as an offence under PECA, that would be an abuse of the law,” he said.

Officials from the Ministry of Interior clarified that none of the cases so far were linked to anti-state activities and were primarily related to hate crimes, incitement, and sectarian violence. The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) informed the committee that it had registered 1,214 cases nationwide, including 10 against journalists, 611 related to financial fraud, and 320 concerning harassment. In Islamabad, 19 cases were filed—none involving journalists—and no arrests were made.

Senator Irfan-ul-Haq Siddiqui raised alarm over a major financial fraud in which scammers misused his name to target nine members of the National Assembly. NCCIA officials confirmed Rs. 1.3 million had been recovered and four suspects arrested, with efforts underway to apprehend the main accused.

The committee also reviewed harassment complaints, including one from Senator Pervaiz Rashid, and unanimously recommended the registration of an FIR against a state TV anchor accused of making hateful remarks against the Sindhi community.

Additionally, the committee was informed that the Cabinet had approved rules for the Social Media Regulatory Authority and would soon begin recruitment. It also requested detailed figures of federal advertisement expenditures in print and electronic media from March 5, 2024, to the present, to be presented at the next meeting.

Earlier, consideration of the Motion Picture (Amendment) Bill, 2025 was deferred to the next session.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025