PESHAWAR, May 26: The provincial cabinet has decided to introduce a law to regulate cyber-cafes in the NWFP in an attempt to prevent misuse of internet facilities.

On Thursday, the cabinet approved the Net Cafe Regulation Bill 2006 under which cyber-cafes will be liable to be prosecuted and fined for any violation. The bill will now be tabled in the NWFP Assembly.

NWFP Information Technology Minister Hussain Ahmad Khan Kanju told Dawn that the proposed law would sanction a government fee of Rs300 per computer per annum used in internet cafes which would also be required to pay an annual renewable fee.

“This bill is aimed at making cyber café operations transparent and preventing people from using internet facilities for unethical and immoral purposes,” Mr Kanju said after the cabinet meeting.

He said that the proposed law would seek to impose a fine of Rs50, 000 or imprisonment of up to ten months for owners failing to fulfil the requirements enunciated therein.

Mr Kanju said the NWFP director for information technology would be empowered to appoint IT inspectors at district level and inspectors would inspect cyber cafes to ensure fair and transparent use of the internet.

He said the IT director would be authorised to cancel the licence of any net cafe if its owner failed to fulfil the legal requirements.

The minister said that the standing committee on IT headed by provincial lawmaker Israrullah Gandapur had recommended regulation of cyber cafes in the province.

“The matter has been discussed with net cafe owners who have agreed with it in principle,” he said. The minister said the provincial government could generate sufficient revenue through the registration of net cafes.

A handout issued here said that Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani drew the cabinet’s attention to the rising number of cyber cafes in the provincial capital. According to him, cyber cafes were a permanent source of moral and social degradation and young people were being led astray by the content on offer there.

The chief minister noted the adverse impact of these cyber cafes and approved the “Net-Cafe Regulation Bill 2006”.

He also expressed concern over the slow pace of road construction and unsatisfactory road infrastructure in the province and directed the quarters concerned to complete work on all under-construction roads by June 30. He called for rapid improvement in the availability of medicines and services in public sector healthcare units.