What recourse exists for online defamation under PECA 2016, and how is jurisdiction determined?

Question

A client faces a defamatory campaign across social platforms. Which provisions of PECA apply, and does the FIA cybercrime wing or the civil court provide faster relief?

Answer

PECA 2016 criminalises specific cyber offences and provides a complaint mechanism through the FIA's cybercrime wing, while defamation simpliciter remains actionable in the civil courts under the Defamation Ordinance 2002. The two tracks are not mutually exclusive; jurisdiction for the civil suit typically follows where the plaintiff resides or where the harm is suffered.

What recourse exists for online defamation under PECA 2016, and how is jurisdiction determined?

1 Answer

Your answer