It seems experts weren’t wrong when they showed concerns over the cybercrime bill and its potential to be used as a political weapon against opposition parties and freedom of speech. Only a few weeks after Information Minister, Marriyum Aurangzeb, warned of action against anyone who speaks against the Prime Minster’s family, a member of the PTI social media team has been arrested.
The cybercrime bill was meant to guarantee public safety and proper use of the web, however, the gravest of concerns seem to be coming to fruition as the government continues to use the bill for its political gain and as a private tool to prevent defamation.
According to PTI’s Central Core Committee member, Qasim Khan Suri, Salar Kakar Sultanzai, former information secretary of PTI Balochistan, has been taken into custody.
He tweeted “Was with Salar Khan in FIA office…He’s being taken to Islamabad. Proud of our boy!”
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Qasim Khan also shared a notice served to Salar by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), asking him to appear before the FIA’s counter terrorism wing by today.
The incident was confirmed by Salar through his Twitter account. He was upset over FIA’s order to submit his laptop and mobile phone.
This does not seem to be the only such incident. PTI Chairman, Imran Khan, suggests that its social media activists are being targeted by the government and have been threatened or arrested.
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While the use of such measures is acceptable in the case of actual cybercrimes or online propaganda against critical government institutions like the army, it certainly isn’t democratic to threaten, arrest or victimise opposition for political gain. If anyone is indeed suspected of such deeds, the FIA should take action against them immediately.
In this case, if Salar was actually a culprit or there was any evidence against him, the FIA would have immediately confiscated his laptop and mobile phone. A real culprit obviously won’t leave any evidence against his activities on his laptop or mobile phone if given any amount of time.
Cybercrime law is definitely a need of the time but the way it is implemented and perceived by officials can either mean it ends up guaranteeing our digital rights or become a tool for authoritarianism and censorship.
