JournalismPakistan.com | Published August 11, 2016
Join our WhatsApp channel
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Thursday passed the Prevention of Electronics Crimes Bill-2016 with majority votes while members of the opposition opposed its certain clauses.
The bill envisages 14-year imprisonment and Rs5 million fine for cyber terrorism, seven-year imprisonment each for campaigning against innocent people on the internet, spreading hate material on the basis of ethnicity, religion and sect or taking part in child pornography.
The Senate on July 29, 2016 passed this bill unanimously after detailed deliberations and incorporating several amendments proposed by the opposition. The bill will now become a law after assenting by the President.
State Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Anusha Rahman Khan presented the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Bill-2016 commonly known cyber crime bill in the House.
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said, the bill was need of the hour as there was no comprehensive law related to prevention of electronics crimes in the country. Defending the bill, she said there was a dark side of the internet which had to be handled.
She said it was introduced during the regime of President Musharraf as an ordinance in 2007 while the PPP government also did the same through ordinance again in 2008-09 but it could not be converted into a law.
She said the present government constituted a special committee which worked for two years with all stakeholders to make it a consensus law. A number of public hearings were held on the bill and later that was approved by the committee of experts, she added.
She said around three dozens amendments of the opposition had been made part of the bill and added that it was now not a bill of the government but had become a bill of the Parliament.
The Minister came hard on members of the opposition for opposing the bill again, adding that members belonging to same opposition parties had already supported it in the Senate.
She said there were reservations of some people and organizations about the bill but certain amendments had been made in it after consultation with all the political parties so that no innocent person could be given punishment under the law.
The Minister said that after listening to all the stakeholders and recommendations of the Standing Committee had been included in the bill. She added that special courts would be set up for the hearing of these cases, however, she added that except for terrorism-related and taking part in child pornography crimes, no other person could be arrested without court orders.
Opposing the bill, PPP Parliamentary leader in the National Assembly Syed Naveed Qamar said there were a lot of lacunas in the bill and it could be misused. He said certain clauses of the bill were controversial and needed to be corrected.
Imran Zafar Leghari of PPP said the bill could affect personal liberty and freedom of expression as power of investigation clauses of the bill could be misused against the opponents.
Taking part in the debate, Abdul Waseem of MQM called for further improvement in the bill.
According to certain amendments made by the Senate, terrorism, electronic fraud, exaggeration of forgery, crimes, hate speeches, pornographic materials about children, illegal access of data (hacking) as well as interference with data and information system (DOS and DDOS attacks) specialized cyber related electronic forgery and electronic fraud etc will be punishable acts.
The bill will also apply on the people who are engaged in anti-state activities online from their safe havens in other countries. Illegal use of internet data will result in three-year jail and Rs. 1 million fine. The same penalties are proposed for tampering with mobile phones.
Under the bill, a special court in the consultation with High Court will be established for hearing the cases. The law will also apply to expatriate and electronic gadgets will be accepted as evidence in a special court. With the permission of the court, the government will be able to seek help of other countries for investigation into cyber crimes.
Data of internet providers will not be shared without court orders. The cyber crime law will not be applied on the print and electronic media.
Foreign countries will be accessed to arrest those engaged in anti-state activities from there.
The IT companies registered with Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) will be dealt under PTA act. Under this act, imprisonment of up to seven years can be awarded for funding terrorism or terrorist organization through internet. Under the bill, cyber-terrorism will be punishable upto to 14 years in prison and Rs five million fine. Child pornography will be non-bailable offence besides seven years in jail and Rs 5 million fine.
Amendments were also made in Section-15 of the Bill relating to "Unauthorized Issuance of SIM Cards etc". Whoever sells or otherwise provides Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card, re-usable identification module (R-IUM) or Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) or other module designed for authenticating users to establish connection with the network and to be used in cellular mobile, wireless phone or other digital devices such as tablets (words in bold are added).
However, the portion stating, "And other portable memory chip designed to be used in cellular mobile or wireless phone for transmitting information" has been removed. Children under the age of 10 years have been given immunity and the proposed legislation will not be applicable to them.
The statement of objects and reasons of the bills says that currently Pakistan has no law to comprehensively deal with the growing threat of cyber-crimes.
The centuries old criminal justice legal framework is inadequate and ill equipped to address the sophisticated online threats of the 21st century cyber age.
This new age has exacerbated both the existing crimes when conducted with the use of internet.
It has also given birth to completely new types of cyber-crime and criminals which cannot be effectively dealt with through the use of existing legislation.
The legislation establishes new offences including illegal access of data (hacking), as well as interference with data and information systems, electronic fraud, cyber terrorism, use of malicious code viruses, identity theft etc.
The bill will effectively prevent cyber crimes and shall also contribute to the security of the nation, the Minister of State said. - APP
April 21, 2025: After being expelled from PTI, MNA Sher Afzal Marwat launches personal attacks on journalists and Aleema Khan, sparking outrage on social media over his offensive remarks.
April 21, 2025: Journalist Sanaullah Khan reveals that the FIA has launched a financial crackdown on YouTubers by freezing the bank accounts of journalists and their family members—raising serious concerns over freedom of expression and legal process.
April 20, 2025: Dr. Nauman Niaz launched his fifteenth book, In A Different Realm: Story of Quadruple and Triple Centuries 1876–2025, at an elegant Islamabad event, reflecting on cricket’s rarest feats and his journey as a scholar of the game.
April 11, 2025: Sindhi journalist AD Shar was brutally murdered in Khairpur, Sindh. His body was found dumped on Handiyari Link Road. PFUJ has declared a three-day mourning period and demanded justice.
April 10, 2025: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government has filed a case against The Daily Jammu & Kashmir and its staff for alleged fake news, drawing condemnation from PFUJ and IFJ, who demand immediate withdrawal of the FIR and an end to media repression in Pakistan.
April 08, 2025: Journalist Arzoo Kazmi alleges that Pakistan's state agencies, including the FIA, have blocked her CNIC, passport, and bank account while threatening her. She calls it a direct attack on journalism.
April 07, 2025: The Islamabad High Court has directed IG Islamabad to produce journalist Ahmad Noorani’s missing brothers, as the Ministry of Defence denies custody. SIM activity was traced in Bahawalpur, and investigations into their suspected abduction continue.
April 07, 2025: Journalist and Raftar founder Farhan Mallick has been granted bail by a Karachi court in a case concerning anti-state content aired on his YouTube channel. He still faces separate charges related to an alleged illegal call center and data theft.
April 21, 2025 An Italian newspaper, Il Foglio, successfully published a month-long AI-written insert and praised its irony and analytical abilities, while affirming that AI will complement—not replace—quality journalism.
April 03, 2025 The International Press Institute (IPI) and International Media Support (IMS) invite nominations for the 2025 World Press Freedom Hero and Free Media Pioneer Awards. Recognizing courageous journalists and innovative media, the awards will be presented at IPI’s 75th-anniversary World Congress in Vienna. Submit your nominations by April 30, 2025.
April 01, 2025 Photojournalist Suresh Rajak was burned alive while covering a violent protest in Kathmandu. The IFJ and its affiliates condemn the attack and call for an urgent investigation to hold the perpetrators accountable.
April 01, 2025 Assam Police arrested digital journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumder for covering a protest against alleged corruption at Assam Co-Operative Bank. Media organizations have condemned the arrest, calling it an attack on press freedom.
March 29, 2025 A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to dismantle Voice of America (VOA), ruling that the move likely violated legal procedures. The decision protects over 1,200 journalists and media staff.