Stalking (=unwanted surveillance by an individual towards another person) is a real threat, and it happens all around the world. Since the dawn of the Internet, it has become a hundred times easier to stalk someone now that the victims publish all their personal matters on social media. And so a new term is invented: Cyber Stalking.

Pakistan not only condemns cyber stalking but also criminalizes it. If anyone is found stalking someone on the internet against his/her will, the stalker will be liable to severe punishment. In this regard, Section 21 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 states that:

A person commits the offence of cyber stalking who, with the intent to coerce or intimidate or harass any person uses […] the Internet, website, electronic mail or any other similar means of communication to
—–> (a) follow a person or contacts or attempts to contact such person to foster personal interaction repeatedly despite a clear indication of disinterest by such person;
—–> (b) monitor the use by a person of the Internet, electronic mail, text message or any other form of electronic communication;
—–> (c) watch or spy upon a person in a manner that results in fear of violence or serious alarm or distress, in the mind of such person; or
—–> (d) take a photograph or make a video of any person and displays or distributes it without his consent in a manner that harms a person.

Section 21, PECA

By this definition, if someone stalks a girl on Facebook, Whatsapp or Instagram, he commits the crime of cyber stalking. Now, its punishment is also stated in the same section, which goes as follows:

Whoever commits [this] offence shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with fine which may extend to one million rupees or with both:
Provided that if victim of the cyber stalking is a minor, the punishment may extend to five years or with fine which may extend to ten million rupees or with both.

Section 21, PECA

This means that if you stalk someone against his wishes he can file charges against you and then you will have to serve jail time for as long as 3 years, and also need to pay fine for up to Rs. 10 Lacs. This is for stalking an adult. If you stalk a minor, the punishment increases, to a hefty Rs. 1 Crore fine, with 5 years of jail.