President signs PECA Amendment Bill, Election Act Ordinance

Islamabad: President Pakistan Dr. Arif Alvi on Sunday signed the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) Amendment Bill and Election Act Amendment Ordinance (EAAO).

According to details, the PECA Amendment Act includes the definition of a person, which includes a person, a company, an association, an institution or an authority, while the amendment bill increases the imprisonment for attacking the identity of any person from 3 to 5 years.

As per the ordinance, the aggrieved party, who will be the representative or guardian of the complainant, has been declared a felony and the offense is non-bailable.

It is pertinent to mention here that the amendment bill states that the trial court will decide the case within six months and will submit the details of the case to the High Court every month.

The ordinance states that federal and provincial governments and officials will be asked to remove obstacles. The Chief Justice of each High Court will nominate a judge and officers for these cases.

Under the EAAO, the members of all assemblies, senates and local governments will be able to speak during the election campaign, and any public office holder and elected representative will be able to visit the constituency.

President Dr Arif Alvi says the government is extending all kinds of support to IT sector and laws have been made to facilitate the growth of this sector.

He was addressing Presidential Initiative for Artificial Intelligence and Computing Entry Test at National Stadium Karachi today. He said the government has opened the way for foreign investors and China wants to invest in Pakistani IT industry.

He said countries that focus on artificial intelligence and computing are developing rapidly.

The President said, besides, the government initiated some programs like Digital Skill Program which is free and imparting the IT education through online classes . He said thousands of students had got benefits from this program and are earning in dollars.

Dr. Arif Alvi, while advising the students, said that they should work hard and focus on IT education in the country and once they have completed, they would avail thousands of opportunities in this sector across the world.

The president said the government has also launched Kamayab Jawan Program to extend the financial support up to ten lakh repeess to financialy support the youth.