PHOTO: REUTERS
ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Information Technology Anusha Rahman has said that newly passed cybercrime bill by the National Assembly would help prevent online harassment, cyber stalking and blackmailing.
Talking to a news channel, the minister said that people who threat, scare and post objectionable material online against any other citizen will be criminalised.
Cyber crime bill sails through National Assembly
Her remarks came after the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Bill (PECB) was passed in the National Assembly on Wednesday, over a year after it was first presented and drew strong criticism from experts and civil rights activists. After several amendments and delay, the National Assembly approved the PECB, which will now be laid in the Senate.
Rahman said some particular aspects of online networking needed to be paid attention to after the National Action Plan (NAP). She said that online harassment, cyber stalking and blackmailing would be considered as offensive material and the person committing these will be penalised severely under the new cybercrime bill.
Ambiguities in Cybercrime Bill
She said that discussion on the important bill has been rekindled for the last few years and the credit goes to all the political parties for giving their valuable input regarding the issue.
The PECB declares cyber terrorism, electronic fraud and forgery, glorification of an offence, hate speeches, child pornography and hacking as punishable offences.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 15th, 2016.
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