PTI leader arrested for spreading fake news about coronavirus spread

CHITRAL: A court here on Tuesday ordered the arrest of a local leader of the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PTI) for spreading fake news through social media about the coronavirus spread and thus creating panic.

District and Sessions Judge Javedur Rehman ordered the police to arrest Irshad Muqarar of the PTI who had earlier secured a bail before arrest from a subordinate court to escape detention. A Chinese national was working in a power project in the Drash town of the Lower Chitral district was hospitalised after he complained of abdominal pain.

The PTI office-bearer allegedly spread a rumour through his facebook account and claimed that the ailing Chinese citizen was suffering from coronavirus which created fears among the people. The Chitral Police registered a case against the accused under Section 505 of the Pakistan Panel Code and Section 25 of the Telegraph Act. The honourable judge, while penning the decision, observed that the case against the accused was not registered with malice and hence his pre-arrest bail stood cancelled. Police arrested the PTI leader from the courtroom as soon as court delivered the verdict.