A shopkeeper in Rawalpindi has been booked under Pakistan’s cybercrime law after posting a viral video of traffic police lifting a parked vehicle, marking the second such case under the amended Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).
The case was registered at Cantt Police Station on the complaint of Traffic Warden Imran Sikandar. According to the FIR, the video—which allegedly showed police removing a “wrongly parked vehicle” outside the shop—was uploaded to social media with the intent to provoke public resentment against law enforcement.
The FIR cites sub-section 1D of Section 21 of PECA, which deals with offences related to the dignity of a natural person. Authorities claimed the footage was shared to spread hatred and discredit the traffic police’s actions.
In January 2025, the federal government introduced new amendments to PECA, including Section 26(A), which criminalizes the online spread of misinformation. The clause allows for up to three years in prison or a fine of up to Rs2 million for individuals who share content likely to cause fear or unrest.
Just last week, Rawalpindi police made the first arrest under these amended rules. Muhammad Rehan was taken into custody for posting allegedly inappropriate content online and was subsequently sent to jail.
A police spokesperson warned that freedom of expression does not permit disinformation or negative propaganda. He added that strict action would be taken under PECA for any post that threatens public order or targets the state.
