Senate Standing Committee on Interior Chairman Senator A Rehman Malik has taken serious notice of the fake news being circulated on the social media regarding the health of former president Asif Ali Zardari and has directed Federal Investigation Agency to initiate inquiry into the matter under Cybercrime Law.
He has directed Federal Investigate Agency (FIA) and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to identify those who are involved in making, circulating and spreading fake news on social media regarding the health and death of former president Asif Ali Zardari and submit a detail report to the committee.
The notice issued to the Secretary Interior states “the undersigned has been directed to state that Senator A. Rehman Malik, Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior has taken serious notice of the fake news in form of text, images and videos being spread on social media regarding the health and death of Mr. Asif Ali Zardari, Former President of Pakistan. The chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior has desired that FIA and PTA to immediately investigate the operators of accounts on social media who have uploaded this video and spreading fake news and making propaganda against former President of Pakistan and action should be taken against them under Cybercrimes Law.
The Chairman Committee has directed that a detail report on the above matter be submitted to the undersigned for further necessary action. Chairman Committee Senator A. Rehman Malik has also directed that the matter should be accorded top priority.
Senator A. Rehman Malik has also taken serious notice of alleged sexual offences and exploitation against the female inmates on the video message that went viral. In the video, a woman introducing herself to be an inmate in a jail and alleges officials of the Prisons Department of committing sexual offences and exploitation against the female inmates.
In a notice issued to Secretary Interior, Inspector General Police Punjab, Inspector General Prisons Punjab and Home Secretary Punjab, Senator A. Rehman Malik has directed that a thorough investigation may be carried out into the matter and submit a detailed report to the committee. He constituted a Sub-committee to oversee the investigation into the alleged sexual offences and exploitation against the female inmates.
Senator A. Rehman Malik expressed that allegations of female prisoner are very serious and heartbreaking which need to be investigated. He has directed the forensic verification of the video and said that if jail authorities are found involved in such heinous crimes, then exemplary punishment should be given to them. He said that the committee has already received multiple complaints of ill-treatment and sexual harassment of women prisoners across the country and in this regard committee will be visiting jails across the country to monitor situation in jails. He said that in one of the meetings, the committee has already recommended a separate administration and management of female wardens for women prisoners and also separate jails for them in every province.
