The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has proposed amending the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) and shared the legal draft with the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).
The PML-N has suggested imposing a penalty exceeding ten years for disseminating fake news, a proposal not fully supported by the PPP. Nevertheless, both parties have found common ground on several aspects of the PECA law, particularly on managing social media platforms.
The proposed amendments aim to establish a new regulatory body to oversee social media activities. This authority would have the power to identify and penalize the spread of fake news, with potential sentences of up to three years in prison and fines for violators.
The social media regulatory authority will have powers similar to those of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA).
All allied parties have received the final draft of these amendments for review.
Read: Cybercrime Law Amendments Propose Severe Penalties in Pakistan
In a related development, authorities last year charged seven individuals, including Muhammad Sohail, Muhammad Junaid, and Sheikh Muhammad Ehsan, with anti-state activities and spreading false narratives through social media channels like WhatsApp and X (formerly Twitter).
Efforts to apprehend the accused are ongoing, confirming the government’s commitment to curbing misinformation and maintaining national security.
