Imran warns Pak Govt. against using cybercrime law to target PTI

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan has warned the government against using the cybercrime law against political opponents.

In a statement issued by the PTI on Tuesday, the party chief alleged that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government was trying to intimidate its political opponents using the cybercrime law, as reported by the Dawn.

The statement comes a day after the federal government decided to take action against the PTI chief under cybercrime and defamation laws for what it described as trying to influence the Supreme Court's judgement in the Panama Papers case and damage Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's reputation through vilified media campaigns.

Minister of State for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb and the ruling PML-N's MNA Daniyal Aziz, while addressing a joint press conference, said Khan had tried to damage the Prime Minister's reputation by levelling false allegations against him during his speeches and on the social media.

The government had a right to proceed against him under the country's cybercrime and defamation laws, they added.

"We will definitely take action against the PTI leadership," the minister said, adding that it should not be called political victimisation because the PTI's campaign against the Prime Minister fell within the purview of cybercrime laws.

Reacting to the announcement, Khan alleged that the government was "trying to threaten him with the cybercrime law" and vowed that the PTI would not be deterred by such threats, adding that his party would oppose all efforts to undermine democracy and would sabotage attempts intended to establish "Sharif's Badshahat (kingdom) and dictatorship" in the country.