Fundamental rights: ‘Cybercrime Act is no different from anti-terrorism law’

LAHORE: Lahore High Court on Friday issued notices to the federal and provincial governments on a petition challenging the Cybercrime Act. Advocate Ishtiaq Chaudhary of Pakistan Awami Tehreek filed the petition. He said several provisions of the law were in violation of fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution.

The lawyer argued that the law could be used for political victimisation and to curb freedom of expression.

He said the law was almost identical to the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, with a section on cyber-terrorism.

“Two parallel laws cannot be enforced,” he said.

The lawyer also questioned Section 18 of the Cyber Crime Act, saying it gave unbridled powers to the Federal Investigation Agency to access data from mobile phones and computers of citizens without prior investigation. He asked the court to strike down the Cybercrime Act 2016 for being in conflict with fundamental rights of citizens.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 10^th, 2016.