Elderly rickshaw driver charged for spreading fake news during India-Pakistan conflict
Family says he was influenced by opposition party posts and 'is very sorry' for his actions
Nazir, 65, faces charges for allegedly spreading false information on social media during recent Pakistan-India tensions.
Nukta
65-year-old Nazir faces charges under PECA for deliberate dissemination of false information
NCCIA has identified 500 social media accounts allegedly participating in 'anti-state campaign'
A 65-year-old rickshaw driver appeared in an Islamabad court Monday facing charges of deliberately spreading false content on social media during recent hostilities between Pakistan and India.
Nazir, identified only by his first name, was presented before a local court yesterday where authorities successfully obtained a two-day physical remand. He is charged under section 26-A of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, which criminalizes the deliberate dissemination of false information online.
The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), operating under Pakistan's Ministry of Interior, arrested the resident of Dina, a small city approximately 100 kilometers from Islamabad in Punjab province.
The arrest comes amid escalating tensions following Indian airstrikes in Pakistan on May 7. Two NCCIA officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Nuktathat this is the first arrest in the Rawalpindi-Islamabad region, with potentially more to come.
In a May 8 press release, the NCCIA announced it had identified 500 social media accounts allegedly participating in a "coordinated anti-state media campaign" during what it termed a "sensitive national security situation."
According to family sources, Nazir is the father of four daughters and a physically disabled son. A family member who requested anonymity stated that Nazir was influenced by posts from an opposition political party during the heightened tensions and "is very sorry about those actions he did on social media against the state."
The family also reported that Nazir currently has no legal representation.
Section 26-A
Section 26-A was added to Pakistan's Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act through controversial amendments passed earlier this year, despite opposition from journalists and civil rights organizations.
The quantum of corporal punishment has been increased to three years while the fine has been increased to two million rupees.
NCCIA officials indicated they continue to review social media accounts for potential violations during the ongoing tensions with India.
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