PESHAWAR: Federal Investigation Agency's cyber crime wing Peshawar has arrested a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf social-media activist for allegedly posting a message against the judiciary on social-media website Twitter, sources in the federal agency confirmed Wednesday.

Qazi Jalal of the PTI has been charged under Sections 36 and 37 of the Pakistan Electronic Transactions Ordinance 2002 and has been remanded under FIA custody for two days.

On his Twitter profile, Jalal describes himself as a Hafiz-e-Quran and a social-media activist, who works for Insaf Radio.

The PTI has millions of followers on social media, a majority of which constitute millenials. The party and its followers were critical of the judiciary for not playing its part in checking what they referred to as rigging in the 2013 general election.

Later, the party's followers had also expressed resentment over the poll-inquiry judicial commission's findings, which had validated the 2013 polls, dismissing PTI's claims that the elections were not a true representation of the peoples' will.


Section 36 and 37 of Pakistan Electronic Transactions Ordinance 2002:

36. Violation of privacy of information —Any person who gains or attempts to gain access to any information system with or without intent to acquire the information contained therein or to gain knowledge of such information, whether or not he is aware of the nature or contents of such information, when he is not authorised to gain access, as aforesaid, shall be guilty of an offence under this Ordinance punishable with either description of a term not exceeding seven years, or fine which may extend to one million rupees, or with both.

37. Damage to information system, etc(1) Any person who does or attempts to do any act with intent to alter, modify, delete, remove, generate, transmit or store any information through or in any information system knowingly that he is not authorised to do any of the foregoing, shall be guilty of an offence under this Ordinance.

(2) Any person who does or attempts to do any act with intent to impair the operation of, or prevent or hinder access to, any information contained in any information system, knowingly that he is not authorised to do any of the foregoing, shall be guilty of an offence under this Ordinance.

(3) The offences under sub-section (1) and (2) of this section will be punishable with either description of a term not exceeding seven years or fine which may extend to one million rupees, or with both.

Opinion

Editorial

Military option
Updated 21 Nov, 2024

Military option

While restoring peace is essential, addressing Balochistan’s socioeconomic deprivation is equally important.
HIV/AIDS disaster
21 Nov, 2024

HIV/AIDS disaster

A TORTUROUS sense of déjà vu is attached to the latest health fiasco at Multan’s Nishtar Hospital. The largest...
Dubious pardon
21 Nov, 2024

Dubious pardon

IT is disturbing how a crime as grave as custodial death has culminated in an out-of-court ‘settlement’. The...
Islamabad protest
Updated 20 Nov, 2024

Islamabad protest

As Nov 24 draws nearer, both the PTI and the Islamabad administration must remain wary and keep within the limits of reason and the law.
PIA uncertainty
20 Nov, 2024

PIA uncertainty

THE failed attempt to privatise the national flag carrier late last month has led to a fierce debate around the...
T20 disappointment
20 Nov, 2024

T20 disappointment

AFTER experiencing the historic high of the One-day International series triumph against Australia, Pakistan came...