Parliamentary Secretary for Cabinet Division Sajid Mehdi informed the National Assembly on Wednesday that approximately 80,000 SIMs have been blocked for disseminating fake news.
Responding to a calling attention notice about the spread of false news on social media platforms, which has caused significant public concern, he stated that the government is actively taking steps to address the issue.
He added that a joint task force has been established and has already submitted its report to the Prime Minister.
He emphasized the need to address shortcomings in the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, and announced that amendments would be made to expedite the trial of cases related to the dissemination of false news.
The registration of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) has also commenced as part of these efforts, he noted.
He expressed optimism that the measures undertaken by the government would lead to further improvements in curbing the spread of fake news.
Additionally, he mentioned that an awareness campaign has been launched using various tools to educate the public on the implications of spreading false information.
