Court considers merging PECA cases against Shandana Gulzar

The Islamabad High Court has sent a case of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, over a false image of the prime minister filed against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Shandana Gulzar, to the chief justice, seeking consolidation with a previously pending PECA case against the accused.

The image in question is a fake image of PM Shehbaz shaking hands with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. The previous case in question, also filed under PECA 2016 last year, alleged that Shandana made anti-state statements, which was already being challenged in the IHC.

The National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency (NCCIA) had registered the case against her, alleging that she participated in anti-state activities and posted fabricated content on social media.

The first information report states that Shandana had spread false and misleading news on social media. The NCCIA has formally registered the FIR and launched an investigation.

Read: IHC issues last warning to respondents in PECA case

Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir heard Shandana Gulzar’s petition to dismiss the PECA case. Gulzar appeared in court along with her lawyer, Moazam Butt, who informed the court that she had obtained protective bail, granted by the Peshawar High Court.

When asked if she had been part of the investigation, her lawyer explained that the protective bail had been extended following the Islamabad bomb blast. A similar case is already pending in the court of Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro.

Justice Tahir suggested that the two cases could be either consolidated or both heard by the respective courts. Gulzar’s lawyer expressed confidence in the court’s discretion.

The IHC has now forwarded the requests to consolidate Shandana Gulzar’s plea to the chief justice for further consideration.