Islamabad - A defamation case has been registered against 20 individuals by retired Lt Gen Naweed Zaman, Rector National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), under Sec 20 and 37 of the Cyber Crime Act 2016, for spreading slanderous information against him.
Sec 20 carries a punishment of 3 years imprisonment and Rs 1 million in fines.
Explaining the background of the case, Gen Naweed said that he had been putting up with the mudslinging since the last 3 years, in spite of the fact that DG ISPR had categorically denied such allegations back in April 2016, and had termed these rumours as malafide. A complaint to that effect was registered in FIA in 2017, however, till date no action was taken and the malicious campaign has continued unabated with well-timed intervals, he added.
Once the campaign resurfaced again recently, a fresh case has been registered against 20 individuals who were on the forefront, belonging to a mix of anti-state elements, those with vested agendas, and including some activists belonging to a political party. The list also includes a few who are spewing this venom while sitting abroad. A number of Indian sites have also joined the band wagon, the former Rector claimed.
As per Gen Naweed, the ultimate aim of this hate campaign is the textbook example of 5th generation warfare; to put the senior leadership of the armed forces of Pakistan in bad light by targeting them both individually and collectively, thereby, creating a division between the Army and populace, sow divisions between the rank and file and its leadership, with the ultimate objective of weakening the armed forces and in turn Pakistan, thus paving the way forward for achieving their masters’ nefarious designs. He further went on to say that the state has shown too much leniency in tackling this menace till date; as a result it has grown with each passing day. He further expressed hope that the concerned law enforcing institutions will deal not only with this case but also with all those accounts which are spreading malicious material with an iron hand and should award them exemplary punishment, before an irreparable damage is done to the state and its esteemed institutions.