ISLAMABAD: The government plans to empower the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to act against anyone trying to spread “rumors and false information against state institutions” on social media, reported a local newspaper on Tuesday.
The FIA found itself in the eye of the storm earlier this year after President Arif Alvi approved the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act, 2022, which increased jail terms for social media users convicted of disseminating “fake news,” causing uproar among civil society organizations and journalist bodies.
The new law was used by the FIA to arrest people under a section criminalizing “defamatory” and “fake” content on social media and was widely viewed as a tool to silence critics of the government.
The Islamabad High Court, however, decided to look into the issue and restrained the agency from making indiscriminate arrests.
According to Dawn newspaper, the federal cabinet recently approved a summary circulated by the interior ministry about making amendments to the schedule of the FIA Act of 1974.
“FIA has intimated that presently, social media is inundated with false information and rumors against state institutions and organizations with intent to cause or incite or which is likely to cause or incite any officer, solder, sailor or airman in army, navy, or air force of Pakistan to mutiny, offense or otherwise disregard or fail in his duty as such,” said a passage from the summary quoted by the newspaper.
It maintained such rumors and false information could spread fear or alarm in the public or compel an individual to commit offense against the state or public tranquility.
“FIA has added that these are likely to incite any class or community of persons to commit any offense against any other class or community,” the summary added.
Dawn reported the FIA told the government that such an offense was triable under Section 505 of the Pakistan Penal Code, though it was not included in the schedule of the FIA Act. The agency requested the state’s approval to include it in its scheduled offenses.
The section, which deals with statements conducing to public mischief, is punishable with a prison term of seven years along with a financial penalty.
Pakistan to empower investigation agency to act against social media posts targeting state institutions
https://arab.news/23qfe
Pakistan to empower investigation agency to act against social media posts targeting state institutions
- The Federal Investigation Agency says social media is ‘inundated’ with false information that can incite anyone to commit an offense
- The offense of making provocative statements to cause public mischief is punishable with a seven-year prison term along with a fine
Kuwait-backed digital bank to enter Pakistan with $100 million investment
- Finance adviser Khurram Schehzad describes the development as sign of rising investor confidence
- It comes as Pakistan seeks foreign investment particularly from Gulf nations to bolster its economy
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Finance Adviser Khurram Shehzad on Friday said Kuwait Investment Authority–backed Raqqami Islamic Digital Bank (RIDB) was set to invest $100 million in the South Asian country by launching operations in February this year.
The bank will be Pakistan’s first fully digital Shariah-compliant bank, according to its website. It offers online financing, savings, and payments to individuals and small-medium enterprises, with a focus on financial inclusion for underserved segments.
The development comes as Pakistan seeks foreign investment, particularly from Gulf nations, to bolster its economy and stabilize its finances. In 2024, the State Bank of Pakistan had issued a no-objection certificate to RIDB.
“Kuwait Investment Authority–backed Raqqami Bank set to launch in Pakistan with a $100 million investment,” Schehzad said in a post on X. “This is a strong vote of confidence in Pakistan’s improving economic outlook and reform momentum.”
Schehzad said Raqqami was backed by the State of Kuwait’s sovereign wealth fund, a development he described as a sign of rising investor confidence in Pakistan.
It also underscores strengthening investment ties between Pakistan and Kuwait, particularly in the financial and digital economy sectors, he added.
Earlier in January, Bank Islami launched Pakistan’s first Shariah-compliant QR payment gateway enabling real-time online payments allowing customers to pay instantly from their bank accounts and enabling merchants to receive payments securely through a smooth checkout experience.
