KARACHI, May 29: Cases were registered against two local journalists on Sunday for publishing reports likely to ‘incite’ people’s sentiments against the state. The first FIR was registered against a reporter of daily Awam and the second against a reporter of English eveninger Daily News, under sections 500 and 505(1)(b) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) , in the city’s Mithadar police station. Cases were also registered against the publishers and printers of the dailies.

The section 500 of the PPC reads: “Whoever defames another shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term, which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.”

The section 505(1)(b) reads: “Whoever makes, publishes or circulates any statement, rumour or report with intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public or to any section of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against state or against the public tranquillity, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years and with fine.”

In the end of the section an explanatory note reads: “It does not amount to an offence, within the meaning of this section, when the person making, publishing or circulating any such statement, rumour or report has reasonable grounds for believing that such statement, rumour or report is true and makes, publishes or circulates it in good faith and without any such intent as aforesaid.”