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December 14, 2024 - Comments Off on Journalists, vloggers among 150 booked under PECA for “maligning security agencies”

Journalists, vloggers among 150 booked under PECA for “maligning security agencies”

Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has registered cases against 150 individuals, including journalists and vloggers, “for their involvement in maligning security agencies over the Nov 26 incident”, referring to the controversy surrounding the number of deaths at a protest march by PTI supporters in late November 2024. According to the FIA, Harmeet Singh, a Pakistani Sikh journalist, had ostensibly promoted a “false narrative” concerning the four day-long protest, and claimed that he had incited violence against the state. He and others were being booked under Sections 9 (“Glorification of an Offence”), 10 (“Cyber Terrorism”), 11 (“Hate Speech”) and 24 (“Cyber Stalking”) of the PECA.

The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) condemned the 150 arrests, calling them “a blatant attack on press freedom and freedom of expression in Pakistan and depicts the authoritarian mindset of the so-called elected government.” The PFUJ stressed that it does not condone “fake news”, but that “due process” was vital when registering cases against journalists.

December 13, 2024 - Comments Off on Senate passes Digital Forensics Agency Bill

Senate passes Digital Forensics Agency Bill

Pakistan’s Senate (upper house) unanimously approved the passage of the “National Forensic Agency Bill, 2024” paving the way for the creation of an independent forensic agency (NFA) at the national level. The NFA will upgrade existing capabilities of conventional forensics labs across Pakistan. Furthermore, NFA will set up a digital forensics lab to provide services to governments across Pakistan. Furthermore, NFA will integrate “digital and cyber forensics to combat crimes involving electronic devices, deepfakes, and other electronic offences.” The Bill must now be approved by the National Assembly (lower house) before it can become an Act. Proposed by the government earlier this month, the soon to be established National Forensics Agency (NFA) comes as part of a muscular legislative and political push over the course of this  year by the Pakistan government, in what it has framed as its war on “fake news”, or disinformation and misinformation.

December 13, 2024 - Comments Off on Only 38,000 freelancers have bank accounts in Pakistan: Government

Only 38,000 freelancers have bank accounts in Pakistan: Government

Only 38,000 of Pakistan’s 2.32 million freelancers - responsible for 15% of Pakistan’s overall IT exports - have bank accounts based in Pakistan, according to a statement made by the Finance Division of the Government of Pakistan last week. Disclosed during a meeting of the Prime Minister’s Committee on IT Export Remittances, this means that while IT exports are steadily increasing, remittances do not reflect this increase proportionately, as a substantial fraction of revenue remains unremitted. According to data by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), while on average 500 bank accounts are being opened weekly, the problem lies in retaining the account holders.

 

The meeting also discussed the urgency in bringing global payment options, such as PayPal , to Pakistan. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb stressed the need to make Pakistan a key player in the global IT industry by resolving these current issues.

December 9, 2024 - Comments Off on Pakistan’s Internet Speeds Among World’s Lowest: Ookla

Pakistan’s Internet Speeds Among World’s Lowest: Ookla

A report by the web testing and diagnostics company Ookla – known for their internet speed tests – has indicated that Pakistan’s broadband and mobile internet speeds ranked among the world’s lowest 10 percent, as of October 2024. According to Ookla’s Speedtest Global Index, Pakistan ranked 100 out of 111 in regards to mobile internet speeds, and 141 out of 158 for fixed broadband speeds. While the global median mobile and fixed broadband speeds have been registered at 59.15 mbps and 94.52 mbps, respectively, Pakistan’s speeds in these two categories were at 20.61 mbps and 15.60 mbps, respectively according to the report.

 

These revelations have come against the backdrop of widespread concerns pertaining to persistent internet disruptions and slowdown since June 2024 particularly as Pakistan began to test and implement its controversial firewall or web management system. Such a situation continues to have a debilitating impact on the country’s nascent tech industry and growing freelance workforce, resulting in a   in work as a result.

 

That this snapshot of Pakistan’s slow internet speeds was captured during October is significant, as concerns and frustration with the government concerning the intermitted throttling of the internet since June 2024 threatened to come to a head in October and November, resulting in the impact on the country’s digital economy, as indicated above.

December 8, 2024 - Comments Off on Online smear campaigns against journalists

Online smear campaigns against journalists

In a continuation and worsening of the dangers for journalism in Pakistan, a number of social media accounts across various platforms have been involved in spreading “fake news”, and trolling and harassing senior journalists such as Talat Hussain, Muneeb Farooq, Hassan Ayub and Syed Muzammil Shah.

A video by the journalist Talat Hussain, discussing the sectarian attacks on Shia Muslims in the district of Kurram, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, which resulted in more than 130 deaths, was selectively edited to misrepresenting his statements, to make it appear that he was speaking about the controversy over the number of PTI protestors that died in the November 24-27 protest march on Islamabad.

Armed men broke into the home of journalist and vlogger Syed Muzammil Shah, threatening him and his family with shots fired into the air. Rather than this invasion of Shah’s home and danger to his family being unanimously condemned, a number of social media accounts appeared to consider it “retribution” for his reporting on the November 24-27 PTI Islamabad protest.

The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has condemned these online smear campaigns against senior journalists and TV anchors. Claiming that many of the accounts in these campaigns belong to PTI supporters, the PFUJ has requested that the PTI leadership respect freedom of speech and tolerate criticism.

December 6, 2024 - Comments Off on Pakistan Army Chief calls for action against fake news, echoed by Minister for IT

Pakistan Army Chief calls for action against fake news, echoed by Minister for IT

Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir, the Pakistan Army’s most senior ranking officer called on the government to take action against “pre-planned coordinated and premeditated propaganda” that are allegedly being spread “by certain political elements as an attempt to drive a wedge between the public & Armed Forces and institutions of Pakistan.” Speaking to senior officers of the armed forces at the 84th Formation Commanders' Conference, General Munir called for stringent laws to combat “fake news”, and the “unethical use of freedom of expression to spread polarization.”

 

A day later, the Minister for IT and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, briefed the Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecommunication and stated that the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) would be amended to tackle “fake news”, echoing the concerns of General Munir and others. In response to a question raised by members of the committee pertaining to the proposed amendments,   she underscored that these  amendments were aimed at addressing “concerns related to fake news and online misinformation campaigns” and not intended to “restrict the internet” and the freedom of expression of citizens. The minister was also asked about the legal powers of the PTA or the government in regards to VPN shutdowns. The Minister downplayed concerns of the committee members on internet shutdowns, claiming that the issue had been “blown too much, but the government does not intend to take such extreme measures”.

December 5, 2024 - Comments Off on Pakistani Police “Randomly” inspecting Mobile Phones: PTI Leader

Pakistani Police “Randomly” inspecting Mobile Phones: PTI Leader

Islamabad police are carrying out random inspections of people’s mobiles phones, in an attempt to locate PTI supporters, claimed Shoaib Shaheen, part of PTI’s leadership. Speaking in the wake of the November 24-27 PTI protest march which has resulted in a crackdown by the government, Shaheen accused the police of carrying out profiling of people from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, based “on their CNICs and ethnicity”, with arrests being made if material on their phones was found to be related to former PTI leader Imran Khan in any way. According to Shaheen, arrests were also made of anyone subsequently visiting people held in custody. Rights activists, including the DRF’s Executive Director, Nighat Dad, condemned these searches, noting that they breached Article 14 of the Constitution of Pakistan, concerning individual rights and dignity.

 

Though the police denied carrying out profiling, claiming that any security checkpoints were established per routine, journalists from Pakistan’s Dawn News reported witnessing at least one case of mobile phones being inspected.

 

December 4, 2024 - Comments Off on Government to block social media use by terrorists

Government to block social media use by terrorists

The Government of Pakistan’s National Action Plan (NAP) coordination committee, citing rising terrorist attacks within the country, declared that “comprehensive” steps would be taken to block the social media accounts of proscribed terrorist organisations, coupled with provincial-level blocking of the sales of illegally acquired mobile SIMs. Citing events in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , the NAP committee meeting urged the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and other government institutions to provide an “effective mechanism” to tackle the problem of social media accounts. The timing of the NAP coordination committee meeting, and coverage of its findings, however, has led critics to suggest that there may be more political motives, coupled with legal actions directed at the wife of Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi, and the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Gandapur, in the wake of the PTI protest march to Islamabad in late November.

December 3, 2024 - Comments Off on Government Forms “Fake News” Taskforce after PTI Protest March Deaths

Government Forms “Fake News” Taskforce after PTI Protest March Deaths

In the wake of the protest march by PTI supporters towards Islamabad in late November, and the subsequent government crackdowns and controversy concerning the number of deaths said to have occurred at the march The Government of Pakistan has constituted a joint task force to tackle “fake news”.

 

The goal of the taskforce would be, according to the Prime Minister’s Office, to “identify individuals/groups and organisations involved in creating and spreading fake and misleading news surrounding political miscreants in Islamabad from Nov 24-27, 2024, including entire media campaign related to the issue.”

 

To be headed by the head of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the taskforce will include at least eight members including the head of the FIA’s cybercrime division, Islamabad Police Chief, the IT director of the Ministry of Information Technology and Communication, the joint director of the Intelligence Bureau, and the joint secretaries of the Ministries of the Interior and Information, representatives from Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence.

December 3, 2024 - Comments Off on FIA registers “First” Fake News Case

FIA registers “First” Fake News Case

The cybercrime division of Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has registered what is being reported as its first formal case filed against a suspect specifically for “spreading fake and fabricated news online”, under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), according to Pakistan’s SamaaTV. According to the FIA, the case was registered after an anonymous source reported discovering “fake news” and “anti-state” material on the accused’s X (formerly Twitter) account, allegedly connected to late November’s PTI protest march.

 

The “fake news” case has been registered amid government’s wider efforts to tackle “anti-state propaganda”. Last week, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif launched a joint task force to crackdown down on fake news. Furthermore, the Minister for IT Shaza Fatima Khawaja recently underscored government plans to amend PECA to “address concerns regarding misinformation”.