Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Division, Sajid Mehdi, informed the National Assembly on Wednesday that the government has blocked approximately 80,000 SIM cards for disseminating fake news, following increasing concerns about misinformation on social media.
In response to a calling attention notice in the National Assembly regarding the spread of false news on digital platforms, Mehdi said that the government has launched several measures to address the growing problem.
These include the establishment of a joint task force, which has already submitted its report to the Prime Minister, highlighting the seriousness of the issue.
Mehdi pointed out the need for reforms in the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016, to better tackle the issue of fake news.
He said that amendments to the law would expedite the trial of cases related to the dissemination of false information.
As part of these measures, the government has begun registering Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to improve monitoring and control of online activities.
Mehdi expressed confidence that these efforts would lead to improvements in curbing the spread of fake news.
Furthermore, an awareness campaign has been launched to educate the public about the risks and consequences of spreading fake news.
The campaign utilises various media tools to inform citizens about the impact of misinformation on society.
“The government’s proactive steps, including blocking SIM cards and revising laws, are aimed at mitigating the harmful effects of fake news,” Mehdi said during the session.
He added that the task force’s ongoing work would continue to address the issue.
Few months ago, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) launched the second phase of blocking mobile SIM cards to prevent their illegal use.
PTA officials stated that in this phase, SIM cards registered against Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) that expired before 2017 and have not been renewed are being blocked.
“In the first phase, we targeted fake SIM cards and those registered against cancelled CNICs. Since August 16, more than 69,000 illegal SIMs have been blocked,” officials said. “In the third phase, SIMs registered under the names of deceased individuals will be blocked.”
Officials noted that fake SIM cards are being used in various illegal activities, including terrorism, financial fraud, and other criminal acts.
PTA is using data obtained from the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to identify and block illegal SIMs.
“Consumers are being sent awareness messages before their SIMs are blocked. Citizens are advised to renew their CNICs to avoid having their SIMs deactivated,” officials warned.
Separately, the government has granted the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Cyber Crime Wing the authority to take action against crimes committed on social media platforms. The Ministry of Information Technology (IT) issued a notification confirming the decision.
According to the notification, the FIA’s Cyber Crime Wing has been granted the power to tackle social media offences, and its previously suspended powers have now been reinstated.
The decision comes after the cancellation of powers previously assigned to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency to curb social media crimes and fake news.
The Ministry of IT had earlier issued a notification to establish the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency under specific rules. However, following objections from the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Law, these powers were rescinded.
The National Cyber Crime Agency will now be established through a parliamentary act, and appropriate powers will be granted to it. The new measures aim to strengthen the enforcement of laws against digital crimes and tackle the growing issue of fake news on social media platforms.