WhatsApp group admin arrested for 'insulting' Maryam Nawaz

A WhatsApp group administrator in Pakpattan was arrested on Friday for allegedly violating the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 (Peca) by allowing an insulting post against Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz to be shared in the group.

According to a First Information Report (FIR) lodged at Farid Nagar police station on Thursday, a post deemed derogatory of Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz with “dirty language” was created and uploaded to a WhatsApp group.

The suspect “deliberately uploaded an immoral, insulting post on social media, while the [group admin], knowing that the said post was immoral, offensive and illegal, did not delete it, but rather gave the opportunity to other group members to see the post,” the FIR read, alleging that the admin was trying to “spread chaos among the public”.

The suspect and the group admin were nominated in a case under Section 20 (Offences against the dignity of a natural person) of Peca and Section 509 (Insulting modesty or causing sexual harassment) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Meanwhile, Pakpattan District Police Officer (DPO) Javed Chaddar confirmed in a statement that the arrest of the group admin is the first case registered under the Peca Act in Pakpattan.

The DPO Pakpattan said, “A suspect posted a malicious and insulting post against the chief minister of Punjab in the WhatsApp group,” adding that the group administrator has been arrested.

The DPO took notice of the post once it went viral on social media and ordered Farid Nagar police to track down and arrest the group admin and the suspected user who uploaded the post, the statement said.

“Further investigation is underway,” the statement concluded.

Peca has been dubbed a “black and draconian law” by critics who say that it was aimed to target journalists, politicians, and rights activists.

The National Assembly on Thursday passed the controversial Peca amendment bill to the country’s cybercrime laws amid a walkout by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers and journalists from the proceedings.

The bill proposes a new provision, Section 26(A), to PECA to penalise perpetrators of 'fake news' online, which states: “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.”

The bill proposes that victims of 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 after the request.