Fact-check: True. 23 Peca cases registered in one day by Lahore police over 'anti-state' content

Social media users and WhatsApp groups are circulating a claim that the Lahore police registered a staggering 23 cases in just 24 hours under the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act (Peca).

The claim is true.

Claim

“Lahore police crackdown on fake content,” wrote an account on X (formerly Twitter) on April 25. “In just 24 hours, 23 cases registered under Peca against those spreading fake and deepfake videos targeting politicians and institutions.”

Another user posted: “23 cases registered under Peca Act against people involved in anti-state activities.”

Fact

Lahore police have indeed registered an extraordinary 23 first information reports (FIRs) within 24 hours, against individuals accused of using social media to spread purportedly “hate speech” against the Pakistan Army, a senior military office holder and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

What’s in the FIRs?

Geo Fact Check reviewed all 23 FIRs filed in Lahore on the same day, April 22.

The FIRs were lodged in multiple police stations in areas namely: Factory Area, Ghaziabad, Gulshan Iqbal, Hanjarwal, Mughalpura, Naseerabad, Nawankot, Old Anarkali, Raiwind, Sattoo Katla, Shad Bagh, Shafiqabad, Shahdara, Defence C Block, Harbanspura, Nishtar Colony, Liaquatabad, Gulberg, North Cantt, Gujjarpura, Naulakha, Islampura and Sanda.

All FIRs were filed by private citizens, who declared themselves to be either traders, farmers, businessmen or property dealers.

Majority, therefore 12 out of 23 FIRs, contain nearly identical text accusing social media accounts on X (formerly Twitter) of generating and sharing AI-created images of a senior military office holder in Pakistan.

All 12 FIRs state that the complainant was browsing X with friends on April 22 when he encountered “defamatory and false posts targeting state institutions” and a senior military office holder.

It is important to note that X has been officially blocked in Pakistan since February 17, 2024.

Some FIRs also report Facebook accounts posting allegedly “defamatory” content related to Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif. One FIR alleges that a user shared a “sarcastic video” targeting the chief minister.

Another FIR involves a private WhatsApp group.

According to the complaint, a farmer in Lahore created a WhatsApp group earlier this month to exchange information about pesticides. However, on April 8, he claims, he posted an image of a government subsidy advertisement by the chief minister of Punjab, after which another group member allegedly made “obscene” comments about the chief minister, prompting the FIR.

What are the charges?

All 23 FIRs cite Sections 11 and 20 of the Peca law.

The cybercrime law was amended by parliament in January this year. Among other changes, it broadened the definition of a complainant, now allowing any individual (not just the direct victim) to file a complaint if they have a “substantial reason to believe” that an offense has been committed.

• Section 11 pertains to hate speech. It criminalises the dissemination of information via any electronic system that promotes interfaith, sectarian, or racial hatred, amongst other things. The punishment can be up to seven years in prison, a fine, or both.
• Section 20 concerns offenses against the dignity of a natural person. It allows for up to three years of imprisonment for anyone who intentionally and publicly transmits false information that harms a person’s reputation, privacy, or mental well-being.

Verdict: Lahore police did register 23 FIRs under Peca within 24 hours on April 22, 2025.

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