Karachi youth jailed for one year for ‘spreading false, fabricated information’ on social media to ‘incite violence’

A judicial magistrate in Karachi has sentenced a 26-year-old man to one year in prison for spreading false and fabricated information on social media with the intent to incite violence. Muhammad Ibrahim was convicted under Section 26-A of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) for his involvement in an alleged anti-state campaign aimed at inciting attacks on oil tankers during a Sindhi nationalist party protest in February 2025.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs10,000 on Ibrahim. However, considering his plea that he was the sole breadwinner for his family and that the offense stemmed from a "lack of knowledge and illiteracy," the judge exercised discretion under the Probation of Offenders Ordinance, 1960. Instead of immediate imprisonment, Ibrahim was released into the custody of a probation officer for one year, with a surety bond of Rs100,000.

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The convict is a young man, aged approximately 26-27 years, with a clean record…[and] he has no prior criminal antecedents and is a first-time offender.

Magistrate Gulraiz Memon reasoned that sending a young, first-time offender with no prior criminal record to prison alongside hardened criminals would undermine the reformative purpose of modern penal jurisprudence. The court directed Ibrahim to maintain good behavior, remain law-abiding, and refrain from any cyber offenses or illegal online activities during his probation period.

According to the prosecution, an inquiry was initiated against Ibrahim for allegedly orchestrating an online campaign to incite arson attacks on oil tankers, causing public panic. The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) apprehended him in February 2025, recovering his mobile phone. Forensic analysis reportedly revealed incriminating posts on a Facebook account, "Imran Sindhi," allegedly operated by Ibrahim, containing subversive materials attributed to "SindhuDesh Intelligent Service S.I.S." Ibrahim denied the allegations during the trial, claiming false implication, but did not present a defense witness.

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Therefore, exercising discretion under Section 5 of the Probation of Offenders Ordinance, 1960, instead of sentencing the convict immediately to serve a term of imprisonment, it is directed that convict Muhammad Ibrahim be released on probation for a period of one year, under supervision of the probation officer, Karachi East.