Man gets 6-year jail term, Rs1.7m fine for harassing woman online

E-Paper | April 26, 2026

A magistrate in Lahore sentenced a man to six years in prison on Friday and imposed a fine of Rs0.7 million for harassing and blackmailing a woman online, DawnNewsTV reported.

The convict has also been order to pay Rs1 million in compensation to the victim — the wife of a Pakistan Air Force officer living in Bahawalpur's Ahmedpur Sharqia.

Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Special Magistrate Imtiaz Ali Bajwa sentenced one Usman Bin Masood ─ arrested in 2017 ─ under Sections 20 (offences against dignity), 21 (offences against modesty) and 24 (cyber stalking) of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016.

Masood was convicted for cyber offences which included digitally manipulating the victim's photos, and subsequently harassing and blackmailing her on social media.

A case was registered against the convict on the complaint of the air force officer after Masood had threatened to share the officer's wife's doctored photos on Facebook.

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Rana Bilal is a Lahore-based reporter for Dawn News (TV) with over nine years of experience covering legal affairs, justice-sector developments, and environmental issues. He can be found on X at @ranabilaldawn.

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Concerned

Mar 09, 2018 06:46pm

Excellent judgement! Lesson for all wannabes.

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anum

Mar 09, 2018 07:47pm

great news. i'm so done with these harasser men.

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Mar 09, 2018 08:41pm

An excellent decision by the court setting a new precedent for on-line harassment and criminal cases. It will go a long way in discouraging all future would be offenders as well as those who currently are thinking of following the same path.

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Life

Mar 09, 2018 09:59pm

It is to the satisfaction that the sick minded people will serve jail term for doing inappropriate activities against the vulnerable members of society. Similarly, I wish if all the victims of harassment will get equal and quick justice irrespective of the class and cadre they represent.

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Amin

Mar 09, 2018 10:04pm

Excellent judgement

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zane

Mar 09, 2018 10:35pm

Great News and good work by the court. It should've been quicker though.

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M.Saeed

Mar 09, 2018 11:26pm

Good move to curb online harassers. But, there must be some way out for the rapidly aggravating curse of honor killing mostly having its roots in mobile-phone based obnoxious activities of the cyber criminals laying traps for the innocent young girls by showing them rosy dreams to deceive and exploit them leading to their horrible ends.

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Ahsan

Mar 10, 2018 12:09am

Good. People like him should be severely punished !

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ALIZA MIR

Mar 10, 2018 02:00am

A little today can bring a whole lot tommorow. I pray this brings some good to our society.

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Riaz Uddin

Mar 10, 2018 02:26am

Hopefully this judgment will deter others and curb effectively hapoening of such incidents in times to come. Applaud!

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Wasim

Mar 10, 2018 04:10am

This is great news. It would be interesting to see if people from a common background and not from the armed forces or politics get the same level of justice. This problem is widespread.

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Riaz Uddin

Mar 10, 2018 12:01pm

This punishment certainly will create deterrence and denunciation for cyber criminals. Now it is incumbent that the girls and.women may be encouraged to report to police of blackmailing by someone through any means especially on internet and also be assured of keeping their identity secret.

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Ajaya K Dutt

Mar 10, 2018 08:30pm

Great news. Congratulations.

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Veer36

Mar 11, 2018 08:52am

A timely warning to others indulging in such dirty actions.

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Ilyas khalil

Mar 12, 2018 10:17am

Excellent decision by court ...this will curb harassment to a great level

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Ilyas khalil

Mar 12, 2018 10:20am

Great decision indeed

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riz1

Mar 12, 2018 05:24pm

@Wasim " interesting to see if people from a common background and not from the armed forces or politics get the same level of justice" If wishes were horses. The system is different for different classes and regions. A revolt or elimination of establishment overlords is the primary solution before things start to improve. Pakistan zindabad.

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