Islamabad Court Jails Man for Filming Minor at Gunpoint

An Islamabad court has sentenced Raja Haris Naveed to seven years of rigorous imprisonment in a cybercrime case involving the harassment of a 16-year-old student and the non-consensual recording of an objectionable video. The verdict was announced by Additional Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act framework.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs1 million on the convicted man. If he fails to pay the financial penalty, he will have to serve an additional six months in prison, extending the consequences of the conviction beyond the principal seven-year sentence.

According to the case record presented during the proceedings, the student was allegedly deceived and taken into a drawing room, where he was confined and harassed at gunpoint. An indecent video was then recorded without his consent, placing the case within the scope of offences involving coercion, digital recording and the exploitation of a minor.

The court acquitted co-accused Shahzeb Mairaj after concluding that the allegation of assisting in the offence had not been established to the required legal standard. He was granted the benefit of the doubt, separating his legal position from that of the principal accused against whom the court found sufficient evidence.

The judgment highlights the serious criminal consequences that can follow when digital technology is used to record or exploit a person through threats or coercion. Cases involving minors carry heightened concerns because victims can face lasting psychological harm as well as the risk that recorded material could be copied, circulated or used for further intimidation.

The case also demonstrates how conventional criminal conduct and electronic evidence can intersect in court proceedings. Investigators and prosecutors handling such matters must preserve devices, recordings and associated digital information in a manner that allows the evidence to be examined and relied upon during trial without compromising its integrity.

For families and educational institutions, the incident underscores the importance of promptly reporting threats, coercion or suspicious attempts to isolate children. Victims should not be blamed for material created without their consent, while access to legal assistance and psychological support can be important during an investigation and subsequent court proceedings.

With the sentence announced, the principal accused faces imprisonment and a substantial fine, while the co-accused leaves the case following acquittal. Any further legal challenge would proceed through the appellate process, where the findings and evidence considered by the trial court could be reviewed.