The government has geared up to tight the noose around those inciting sectarian hatred and has delegated special power to the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) to register cases against all those persons spread religious and sectarian hatred on social media.
The CTD has started registration of cases under the Terrorism Act.
According to details, crackdown on those spreading religious hatred and sectarianism on social media has been intensified and the government has delegated powers of action to the Counter-Terrorism Department to take action against elements under the Terrorism Act.
The CTD has started registration of cases all such elements across Punjab Province including Lahore. It is to be noted that the FIA Cyber Crime Wing used to take action against all such elements, promote religious hatred and sectarianism on social media.
However, the FIA Cyber Crime Wing apparently failed to take any significant action to check the scourge, which is visible from thousands of such pages on the social media.
In view of the rising negative trend, the police requested the government to empower the CTD to prevent such incidents, which was accepted by the government. The Counter-Terrorism Department will file cases against those spreading religious hatred on social media.
The Counter-Terrorism Department started registration of cases following government orders. Sources said that the Punjab cabinet had approved delegation of special powers to the Counter-Terrorism Department to curb the religious hatred and sectarianism on social media.
It is to be noted that measures to control sectarianism during Muharram have been called into question as sectarianism is on the rise on Facebook, YouTube and WhatsApp groups.
On the contrary, the announcement of the Buzdar government to take action against such on social media could not render any fruit.
The Lahore Police had also requested the closure of 130 links, most of which are still operating. So far, only 218 pages could be blocked by the government. Due to lack of resources, the cyber crime wing has become helpless in the face of provocation.
