The government has blocked approximately 80,000 SIM cards linked to disseminating fake news, Parliamentary Secretary for Cabinet Division Sajid Mehdi informed the National Assembly on December 11.
Responding to concerns raised during a session, Mehdi detailed several initiatives to control the issue. A joint task force has been formed to analyze the situation and has submitted its findings to the Prime Minister, emphasizing the urgent need for comprehensive measures.
Revisions to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016, are also needed. Mehdi stated that these amendments would expedite trails of these cases.
The government has initiated the registration of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to enhance monitoring capabilities, aiming to regulate and control online activities more effectively. In addition, an awareness campaign has been launched to inform citizens about the negative consequences of sharing false information.
