Judge appointed for capital's PECA court
Islamabad Additional Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka has been appointed as the judge of a special court in Islamabad recently formed to hear cases filed under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (PECA) Act, 2016.
Islamabad District and Session Judge Azam Khan on Wednesday issued an office order, notifying that all trials related to PECA at Islamabad Sessions West will now be heard by Judge Majoka,
Additionally, the courts of the senior civil judge/judicial magistrate have also been designated as PECA courts within their jurisdiction. In the absence of the additional sessions judge or civil judge, the duty magistrate will hear the cases.
The Ministry of Law on July 19 issued a notification, designating some lower courts in Islamabadin consultation with the chief justice of the Islamabad High Court (IHC)to hold trial of people booked under PECA, 2016.
Sources in the ruling coalition had revealed that the recently-arrested PTI officials, including Information Secretary Raoof Hasan, International Media Coordinator Ahmed Waqas Janjua and others could also be tried in the newly-designated courts.
Under PECA, any criminal involved in digital crimes can be prosecuted by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the police. After registering a case of digital crime, the police are obliged to send the matter to the FIA for technical opinion and investigation, which will be carried out by an officer of inspector rank. The special courts will be bound to conclude the trial in three months.