Man arrested under PECA 2016 for insulting CM Maryam Nawaz

A man in Pakpattan, Punjab province, was arrested on Friday, for allegedly violaating the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) of 2016. He is accused of failing to remove an offensive post targeting Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz from a WhatsApp group he administered.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), the post contained “dirty language” insulting the Chief Minister.

The FIR alleges the administrator, despite knowing the post was offensive and illegal, allowed it to remain visible to other group members, potentially inciting public unrest.

The arrest comes a day after the National Assembly passed amendments to PECA, introducing stricter penalties for spreading false information online, including potential imprisonment of up to three years and fines of up to Rs2 million.

These amendments also establish new regulatory bodies, including the Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority (SMPRA) and the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA). The changes have drawn significant criticism from journalist groups.

The arrested individual faces charges under Section 20 of PECA and Section 509 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Pakpattan police confirmed the arrest, stating the suspect allowed the insulting post to be shared within the WhatsApp group.