On February 25, the Lahore High Court (LHC) issued directives to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to take “indiscriminate action” against individuals orchestrating campaigns against the judiciary on social media platforms. During the hearing, presided over by Justice Ali Zia Bajwa, the court was informed of ongoing investigations that had so far identified 200 digital links, 79 social media accounts, and 54 individuals allegedly involved in these campaigns.
The NCCIA’s Director General, Syed Khurram Ali, reported to the court that notices had been issued to 34 of these identified individuals, and eleven suspects had been arrested. The Director General assured the court of the agency’s commitment to taking all lawful measures to protect the judiciary’s dignity and independence.
The Deputy Attorney General told the court about a report by the Ministry of Interior, which involves the constitution of an authority under Section 2-A of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016. This development is under consideration by the federal government.
Furthermore, the court heard from Mian Dawood, counsel for the petitioner Advocate Pervaiz Elahi Bhaddar, who argued that “stern action” had not yet been taken against those involved in the derogatory campaigns, despite previous court directions. In response, the NCCIA reiterated its dedication to curbing such contemptuous activities and upholding the rule of law.
The proceedings also included insights from the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) Chairman Faisal Yousaf, who participated as amicus curiae. He discussed technological tools that could be utilized to prevent the spread of illegal online content.
In his written order, Justice Bajwa expressed concern over the alarming and persistent trend of maligning judges through unregulated social media, noting that it could influence the course of justice. He emphasized that judges speak only through their judgments and are unable to publicly address allegations.
The judge concluded by instructing the NCCIA to submit a comprehensive report at the next hearing, detailing the mechanisms in place to monitor and counteract unlawful social media campaigns against the judiciary. The date for the next hearing has yet to be announced.
