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Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar has ordered for the arrest of DIG Gilgit-Baltistan after the latter posted pictures of his ex-wife on the internet in an effort to defame her.
After their divorce, DIG Junaid Arshad posted “revealing” and “personal” pictures of his ex-wife on social media in an effort to malign her image. An application was then filed in the trial court by his ex-wife. Junaid Arshad was found guilty without bail but had still not been taken into custody.
DIG Arshad’s former wife then filed an application addressed to CJP Nisar requesting the arrest of her husband. The application stated that despite DIG Arshad being found guilty without bail under cybercrime law, he was still roaming freely.
It is reported that CJP Mian Nisar was very irked by the matter. He stated during the judgment: “Do police officers consider themselves above the law?”
This judgment is one of many that are being made under Pakistan’s recently introduced cybercrime law. Posting pictures of people online without their consent and defaming them on social media is now punishable under Pakistani law.
There are some who argue that the law is being misused. While it is protecting the privacy of some people, it also restricts our right to freedom of speech. People can’t speak out against social injustice because it becomes “defamation” while others who have money and influence can get their way out of anything.
What do you believe? Is Cybercrime Law protecting the rights of Pakistan’s citizens or oppressing their freedom even further? Or maybe it just needs a bit of revision so that both the right to privacy and right to freedom are looked after? Let us know your opinion in the comments below.
