NCCIA summons journalist Asad Toor under Peca for alleged false information

The National Cybercrime Investigation Agency on Wednesday issued a notice to renowned journalist Asad Ali Toor, ordering him to appear before the agency in connection with a probe into the alleged spread of “fake news”.

According to a notice published by the NCCIA Cybercrime Reporting Center, and also shared by the journalist on his X account, Toor has been summoned under Section 160 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) in connection with the investigation.

The investigation related to the alleged dissemination of false or false information under Section 26A of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca), 2016.

The notice stated that the NCCIA was investigating the matter and identified the complainant as “Through State,” which was registered on Tuesday.

According to the notice, the allegations relate to “the alleged dissemination, transmission and/or public exhibition of false/false information.”

The agency ordered the journalist to appear in person at the NCCIA Cybercrime Reporting Center on Saturday to record his version as part of the investigation, while warning that failure to appear without lawful excuse would be considered a refusal to offer a defense and that the investigation would continue. ex parte.

He further warned that non-compliance with the notice was punishable under Section 174 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), 1860.

The National Press Club (NPC) strongly condemned the announcement, calling it “a disturbing example of an attempt to pressure the fundamental rights of freedom of the press and freedom of expression.”

In a statement, the NPC said the Constitution guarantees every citizen, especially journalists, the right to freedom of expression and to exercise their professional duties.

“Subjecting journalists to legal pressure and reprisals for exercising their professional responsibilities or expressing critical opinions is not a positive sign for a democratic society,” the text adds.

The NPC leadership urged institutions to refrain from exerting unnecessary pressure on journalists and fulfill their responsibilities in accordance with the law, the Constitution and basic human rights.

“A free, responsible and secure press is the foundation of a strong democratic system,” the statement said while demanding the immediate withdrawal of the notice addressed to the journalist.

“We demand that the notice addressed to Asad Ali Toor be withdrawn, that the constitutional and legal rights of journalists be fully respected and that the authorities refrain from taking measures that could restrict press freedom or create a feeling of insecurity within the journalistic community,” the statement concluded.