The Islamabad High Court has sent an Electronic Crime Prevention Act case over a fake picture of the prime minister filed against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Shandana Gulzar to the chief justice seeking consolidation with an earlier pending PECA case against the accused.
The photo in question is a fake photo of Prime Minister Shehbaz shaking hands with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. The earlier case in question, also filed under PECA 2016 last year, alleged that Shandana made anti-government statements which were already challenged in the IHC.
The National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency (NCCIA) had registered the case against her alleging that she participated in anti-government activities and posted fabricated content on social media.
The first information report says that Shandana had spread fake and misleading news on social media. The NCCIA has formally registered the FIR and initiated an investigation.
Read: IHC issues final 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 after the Islamabad bombings. A similar case is already pending before the Khadim Hussain Soomro court.
Justice Tahir suggested that the two cases could either be 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.
