SAHIWAL (Staff Reporter) — In a coordinated crackdown on digital extremism, the Sahiwal District Police have arrested three individuals across different sectors for allegedly spreading religious hatred and sectarianism on social media platforms. The arrests were made under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) and the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
The operations were carried out by specialized teams from the City Sahiwal, Ghala Mandi, and Chichawatni City police stations following reports of provocative online content that threatened local communal harmony.
Details of the Arrests
The police operations targeted individuals accused of using digital spaces to incite unrest and promote sectarian divides:
City Police Raid: Authorities conducted a raid at Saddar Chowk, arresting Zaheer Abbas Rehmani, the owner of Chand Collection Center in Soodi Gali. He is accused of posting content specifically aimed at inciting sectarianism.
Ghala Mandi Operation: Police raided Pakpattan Chowk to apprehend Muhammad Usman, a resident of Shamsi Mohalla. Investigators reportedly found material promoting religious hatred across his various social media accounts.
Chichawatni Action: Muhammad Owais Pasha Malik was taken into custody at the Chichawatni Lari Adda. He faces allegations of sharing blasphemous remarks on his Facebook profile.
In all three instances, law enforcement officials seized the mobile phones of the accused to serve as critical forensic evidence during the upcoming trial.
Legal Proceedings
Formal First Information Reports (FIRs) have been registered based on complaints filed by Sub-Inspectors Muhammad Azhar, Aakash Roheel, and Muhammad Jafar. The accused are facing charges under a combination of stringent laws:
PECA Act (Section 11): Pertaining to hate speech delivered via electronic communication.
Pakistan Penal Code (Section 295-A & 298-A): Relating to deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings and the use of derogatory remarks.
Police Advisory to Citizens
Following the arrests, Sahiwal Police issued a public advisory urging citizens to exercise caution and responsibility while navigating digital platforms.
“Social media is a powerful tool that must not be used to disrupt peace or hurt religious sentiments,” a police spokesperson stated.
The department reminded the public that under current legislation, any state institution or private citizen has the right to file a direct complaint against digital offenses. This framework is designed to make it easier for law enforcement to track, identify, and prosecute those who weaponize the internet to spread discord.