Federal Information Minister Atta Tarar has taken notice of a fake AI-generated video targeting female journalist Benazir Shah and termed the act “totally unacceptable and highly condemnable”.
Responding to a post of Benazir on X, Tarar said that no one has the right to create or spread fabricated content or attempt to intimidate members of the press through defamation.
The matter came to light when the journalist revealed that an X account, followed by Minister Tarar, had made and uploaded an AI-video of her. "But as we've said before, we’ll say it again, attacks won't silence us," Benazir added.
Replying to the female journalist's post, the federal information minister clarified that he follows more than 1,900 accounts on X but does not endorse the behaviour of the account involved in the incident, assuring that appropriate action will be taken against those responsible.
Later, Benazir appreciated Tarar for taking the matter "Seriously". However, she refused to proceed with the case under the Prevention of Electronic Crime Act (Peca) through the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), the law, and the institution, she said, are being used to "harass journalists, silence private citizens, and suppress dissent."
"I appreciate the information minister taking this matter seriously. However, I do not wish to pursue a Peca case through the NCCIA, as doing so would lend legitimacy to a law and an institution that have been used to harass journalists, silence private citizens, and suppress dissent," she said.
"If the minister and his government are serious about ensuring safety for journalists and citizens, they should scrap Peca and the NCCIA and begin a genuine consultation process to draft legislation that truly addresses journalists' concerns."