Federal Government Blocks 80,000 Mobile Sims for Spreading Fake News: Sajid Mehmood
Amendments needed to speed up hearings of cases related to the spread of fake news, says Parliamentary Secretary
Parliamentary Secretary of the Cabinet Division Briefs National Assembly
ISLAMABAD ( WEB NEWS )
Sajid Mehmood, Parliamentary Secretary of the Cabinet Division, informed the National Assembly that the federal government had blocked 80,000 mobile sims for spreading fake news. Responding to a notice raised in the Assembly regarding fake news on social media platforms, the Secretary said the government had taken various measures to tackle this challenge. He highlighted the establishment of a joint task force, which had submitted its report to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
He also stressed the need for amendments in the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016 to better address this issue. He emphasized that changes in the law were necessary to expedite the hearing of cases related to the spread of fake news. Additionally, as part of efforts to monitor online activities more effectively and combat fake news, he discussed the initiative to register Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).
The Secretary expressed confidence that these measures would improve efforts to curb the spread of fake news. He also mentioned that an awareness campaign had been launched to inform citizens about the risks and consequences of spreading fake news.