LHC full bench to hear harassment case: CJ
Pakistan
A committee led by FIA DG will probe the matter
IGP says PTA has authority and mechanism to remove videos and stop its propagation
Says the videos went viral from more than 700 accounts
LAHORE (Dunya News) - The Lahore High Court (LHC) chief justice says a full bench will hear the recent harassment incidents in educational institutions and fake news.
The full bench headed by CJ Aalia Neelum will include Justice Farooq Haider and Justice Ali Zia Bajwa.
LHC CJ Aaliya Neelum heard the case pertaining to investigation of incidents in educational institutions. Punjab IG, Punjab Advocate General and other officers appeared in court.
CJ inquired from the Punjab IGP why propagation of videos were not halted and which authority was contacted to halt the spread of videos.
The IG responded that the PTA was contacted to stop the propagation of videos as only PTA had authority and mechanism to remove videos and stop its propagation.
CJ Neelum remarked that the videos went viral on Oct 13 and 14 and now it’s Oct 18. Why did you contact the authorities late? Why did you cry over spilt milk?
POLICE HAS NO AUTHORITY TO HALT SPREAD OF VIDEOS
The IG informed the court that police had only one institution to oversee cybercrime. It’s quite difficult to halt uploading and sharing of data. If it stopped from one account it would be uploaded and shared from another one.
The videos went viral from more than 700 accounts. Police had no authority to stop the propagation of the videos, Punjab IG stressed.
He referred to the incident of UK riots on fake news, saying even they could not control the content.
The CJ asked what sort of measures were taken for the safety of girl students who took to the streets. It’s Punjab IG's incompetence that he let the students take to the streets, she said.
Punjab Advocate General informed the court that a post on Instagram was shared in the groups of students on Oct 12.
The Advocate general stated that SSP took action by reaching the campus and investigating the matter. The ASP of that area met the college principal and checked the CCTV. Every student was making claims of the alleged incident but no one had evidence.
He said no student knew about the truth of the incident and students from one campus to others gathered and orchestrated violent attacks.
Punjab CM formed a special committee to probe the matter that revealed that no such incident took place.
Advocate general said the alleged victim was in fact admitted to the Lahore General Hospital on Oct 2 and then shifted to a private hospital on Oct 4 and remained in the ICU for five days.
He also revealed that “the girl is alive and doing perfectly fine and you can also meet her if you want.”
A self-claimed lawyer made a video on the incident referring to female students’ claims and was granted bail by the magistrate in the case.
CJ Aalia Neelum remarked it couldn’t be implied that this incident was a planned conspiracy but miscreants took advantage of this incident.
Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) Registrar also informed the court that the relevant person accused of harassment in LCWU had been suspended. CJ asked about the number of complaints relevant to harassment in the university.
Consequently, LHC directed the formation of a full bench on fake news on social media and probe recent incidents that would hear the case on Tuesday deeming it an important case.
