The latest draft of the proposed changes to the country’s cybercrime laws has lowered the prison term in case of violations to three years from seven years while fines remain the same at Rs2 million, it emerged on Wednesday.
Last month, Dawn reported that the government was planning ‘wholesale’ changes to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 (Peca), which would see the formation of a new authority with powers to block online content and access to social media, as well as prosecute those propagating ‘fake news’. State minister for IT and Telecom Shaza Fatima Khawaja had confirmed the plan to “address concerns regarding misinformation”, saying that the amendments were under review.
As per Dawn’s report, the draft amendments proposed to add a new provision, Section 26(A), to Peca, so as to penalise perpetrators of “fake news” online. It stated that any person who “intentionally” posts any information “which he knows or has reason to believe to be false or fake and likely to cause or create a sense of fear, panic or disorder or unrest” shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to five years or with a fine which may extend to Rs1m or with both.
A later draft proposed a hike to seven years while the fine was raised to Rs2m.
The latest draft, seen by Dawn.com and titled “The Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Bill, 2025”, was tabled in the National Assembly today by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and referred to the standing committee, according to state-owned media outlet Radio Pakistan.
Regarding sentences, it said: “Whoever intentionally disseminates, publicly exhibits, or transmits any information through any information system, that he knows or has reason to believe to be false or fake and likely to cause or create a sense of fear, panic or disorder or unrest in general public or society shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend upto three years or with fine which may extend to Rs2m or with both.”
It also proposed the establishment of the Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority which would perform a range of functions related to social media such as education, awareness, training, regulation, enlistment, blocking and more.
It said that anyone “aggrieved by fake and false information” would be able to approach the authority to remove or block access to the content in question, adding that the authority would issue orders no later than 24 hours on the request.
The changes proposed that the authority might require any social media platform to enlist with it any manner, form and on payment of such fee as may be prescribed.
It added that apart from the requirements of the act, additional conditions or requisites as deemed appropriate might also be stipulated while enlisting a social media platform.
