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January 30, 2025 - Comments Off on PK Ambassador to the US defends PECA Amendments, media restrictions

PK Ambassador to the US defends PECA Amendments, media restrictions

Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States defended the recently passed Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) amendments and other actions by the Pakistani government to curb freedom of expression, as a way to tackle “the irresponsible use of digital space and the spread of fake news.”

Speaking at a diplomatic event held in Washington, DC, Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Shaikh was asked about restrictions on Pakistan’s media and overall freedom of expression in the wake of changes to PECA. In response, Mr. Shaikh asserted that Pakistan was working to “regulate social media to make it more responsible”, and made comparisons to other efforts to regulate and tackle social media by other governments.

When pressed further concerning the impact on mainstream news outlets in Pakistan, the ambassador said that the government “welcomed” responsible journalism. He also claimed that Islamabad was interested in speaking with media organisations regarding the amendments and other regulations, something that may raise an eyebrow or two among journalists in Pakistan.

January 29, 2025 - Comments Off on Journalists stage country-wide protests against PECA Amendments

Journalists stage country-wide protests against PECA Amendments

Journalist bodies strongly protested against the PECA amendments across the major cities on Tuesday 28 January.

During the passage of the bill in the Senate, journalists walked out of the Senate press gallery in protest. Later, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) organised a protest march from the Islamabad National Press Club to D-Chowk, where, addressing the crowd, PFUJ President Afzal Butt called the bill a ‘black law’.

In Karachi, responding to an appeal by PFUJ, the Joint Action Committee of Media Bodies (JAC) staged a protest outside Karachi Press Club. Mazhar Abbas, a senior member of PFUJ commented “The government has to learn the lessons as it was earlier used against the same party, which had passed the law in a haste.” Members of the Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ), Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA), and the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) were also in attendance.

January 29, 2025 - Comments Off on Pakistani-American teen murdered by father over TikTok

Pakistani-American teen murdered by father over TikTok

⚠ Trigger Warning: Gender-based violence, Murder

A Pakistani-American teen has been murdered by her father over his daughter’s TikTok videos. The man, who had lived in the US for under three decades, had recently returned to Pakistan, bringing his family with him. Originally claiming that unidentified gunmen had murdered his 15 year old daughter, he confessed his crime to police.

According to police reports, the man (and supposedly the rest of the family) “had an objection to her lifestyle, and social gathering”, and that she had been creating, according to the father, “objectionable” content on TikTok while the family lived in the US. As of the time of this update, however, the phone remained locked, according to the police.

January 29, 2025 - Comments Off on Journalist files case against PECA Amendments in Lahore High Court

Journalist files case against PECA Amendments in Lahore High Court

The formal passage into law of amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) has been challenged in the Lahore High Court by a Pakistani journalist, arguing that the amendments are a threat to the “constitutional right to free speech”.

The legal challenge filed by Jafar Bin Yar – and which includes the government, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and other parties as respondents – asserted that the PECA Amendments Bill 2025 had been introduced  in and passed by the National Assembly without key stakeholders, such as civil society organisations and journalists, being consulted.

Mr. Bin Yar’s legal petition requested the nullification of the newly passed PECA Amendment Act, and that any actions taken post-passage be suspended until a final decision in his petition has been issued.

January 29, 2025 - Comments Off on President Zardari Signs PECA Amendments into law

President Zardari Signs PECA Amendments into law

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has signed into law controversial amendments to the the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), in the face of numerous protests and calls of condemnation from journalists, political parties and international human rights organisations such as Amnesty International. The presidential assent – which also included another controversial law, the Digital National Pakistan Bill - came on the heels of the rapid approval of the PECA amendments by both the National Assembly and the Senate. The International Federation of Journalists said in a statement that:

"The amendments to Pakistan’s draconian PECA represent a transparent attempt to further tighten control over digital expression and internet freedom under the guise of curbing misinformation. By extending government jurisdiction online, broadening censorship powers, and imposing penalties for vaguely defined offences, this legislation threatens journalists, activists, and the public’s right to information. The IFJ calls on President Asif Ali Zardari to swiftly reject the bill and ensure the constitutional right to freedom of expression is upheld.”

The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists said that they protest the passage of the amendments, and would  “stage a grand sit in front of the Parliament House in Islamabad on February 14, 2025”.

January 28, 2025 - Comments Off on Senate passes PECA Amendments and Digital Nation Pakistan Bill 2025

Senate passes PECA Amendments and Digital Nation Pakistan Bill 2025

Pakistan’s Senate approved the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act (2025) amendments and the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill on Tuesday, 28 January. The PECA amendments had earlier been approved by the National Assembly and Senate Committee on Interior. Similarly, the Senate Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication had passed the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill 2025 by majority vote.

The PECA amendments establish harsher penalties for disinformation, including up to three years imprisonment and Rs2 million fines. It also establishes the Digital Rights Protection Authority (DRPA) to regulate social media, investigate complaints, and remove unlawful content. The amendments also broaden the definition of social media platforms.

Journalists, accompanied by PPP Senator Sherry Rehman staged a walkout of the Senate gallery amid the passage of the amendments, and opposition members tore copies of the Bill in protest. PTI Senator Shibli Faraz criticised the lack of judicial capacity to handle fake news cases.

Separately, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar tabled the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill (DNPB) 2025 after it was earlier approved by the Senate Committee on IT on 28 January. Just like PECA, DNPB was also quickly approved by majority vote amid objections. Members of the opposition raised concerns over lack of consultation leading up to the Senate meeting. JUIF Senator Kamran Murtaza accused the government of undermining provincial autonomy and centralising authority in Islamabad.

Both pieces of legislation now only require the President’s assent to be enacted as laws.

January 28, 2025 - Comments Off on Senate approves PECA Amendments amidst opposition uproar

Senate approves PECA Amendments amidst opposition uproar

Pakistan’s Senate formally approved the controversial amendments pertaining to the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act (2025) on 28 January. The recent development took place a day after the Senate Standing Committee on Interior approved the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Bill, 2025 on Monday, 27 January amidst public outcry over the changes made without stakeholder input. The bill will now be sent to the President for formal approval before it becomes an act, a merely ceremonial process. The proposed PECA amendments include three years imprisonment for spreading fake news, creation of a social media protection authority for regulating online content, as well as the creation of a new investigation agency called the National Cybercrime Investigation Agency.  The highly debated and criticised amendments to PECA were fast-tracked through the National Assembly last week.

Throughout recent weeks, and especially in the last week, journalists, human rights defenders, civil society, and the opposition protested these controversial amendments proposed to the country’s cyber crime laws, which threaten to curtail freedom of expression and promote mass censorship and surveillance by the State. Last week’s protests culminated in members of the opposition raising slogans and banging desks, and journalists staging an organised walk-out from the press gallery during the Friday Senate hearing. The Senate committee (Interior) meeting held on Monday also featured opposition from journalists present, whereas the Chair of Senate Committee on Interior Faisal Saleem Rehman in his opening remarks claimed that the Senate committee had not received any written feedback, concerns or comments from any journalist body. The sole opposition to the amendments from political parties in this meeting came from the JUIF’s Senator Kamran Murtaza. Senator Irfan Siddiqui of PML-N downplayed concerns about the amendments, stating there was “no need to fear” the changes. While criticising the lack of consultation with journalists before the bill, he assured that if the law is misused against the media, he would stand with journalists.

January 27, 2025 - Comments Off on NTISB warns users to avoid 16 malicious VPN and AI browser extensions

NTISB warns users to avoid 16 malicious VPN and AI browser extensions

The National Telecom and Information Technology Security Board (NITSB) highlighted 16 potentially malicious browser extensions for users to avoid.

According to the NITSB, the extensions identified, which include VPN and AI extensions, contain potential threats of hacking and data breaches. The list of extensions identified includes AI Assistant — ChatGPT and Gemini for Chrome, Bard AI Chat Extension, GPT 4 Sum­mary with OpenAI, Search CoPilot AI Assistant for Chrome, Wayin AI, VPNCity, Internxt VPN, Vidniz Flex Video Rec­order, VidHelper Video Downloader, Bookmark Favicon Changer, UVoice, Reader Mode, Parrot Talks, Primus, Trackker — Online Keylogger Tool, AI Shop Buddy, and Rewards Search Automation.

These extensions were among the targets of a large-scale data and credential theft attack by hackers last month. The advisory by NITSB urged users to avoid these extensions, only use trusted and extensively-reviewed extensions, and to read permissions carefully before granting them.

The use of VPNs has skyrocketed in Pakistan since the X ban last February, which is a reason for the surge in demand for VPN browser extensions as well.

January 27, 2025 - Comments Off on Senate Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication approves Digital Nation Pakistan Bill 2025

Senate Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication approves Digital Nation Pakistan Bill 2025

The Senate Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication approved the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill 2025 with a majority vote on Monday, 27 January. The Committee meeting was chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan.

The Digital Nation Pakistan Bill, which was introduced in the Senate by IT Minister Shaza Khawaja, is one in a series of measures being undertaken by the MOITT to transform Pakistan into “a holistic digital ecosystem”. The Bill calls for the establishment of three bodies: the National Digital Commission (NDC), to be headed by the Prime Minister, to oversee the development and implementation of the National Digital Master Plan; the Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA) to carry out the implementation; and the Strategic Oversight Committee (SOC), to be headed by the IT Minister, to act as an ‘impartial’ oversight body.

The Bill was opposed in the Senate hearing by senators from JUI and PTI, including JUI Senator Kamran Murtaza, who proposed amendments to Section 7 of the Bill while questioning the urgency with which the Bill had progressed through the Houses. He recommended that the PDA contain four members instead of two; one from each province. Senator Manzoor Kakar stressed the need for fair provincial funding under the proposed law. Senator Palwasha Khan raised concerns over the lack of data protection legislation in Pakistan, and the deprioritisation of that over this Bill.

Despite the debate and concerns raised, the Bill was approved with a majority vote. Senator Murtaza’s proposed amendments did not gain approval.

January 24, 2025 - Comments Off on WhatsApp group admin arrested in Pakpattan

WhatsApp group admin arrested in Pakpattan

A WhatsApp group administrator from Pakpattan was arrested under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 (PECA) for allegedly permitting a post insulting the Chief Minister of Punjab Maryam Nawaz.

The suspect who allegedly made the post and the group admin were booked under Section 20 (Offences against the dignity of a natural person) of PECA and Section 509 of the Pakistan Penal Code. According to a statement issued by the Pakpattan District Police Officer Javed Chaddar, authorities took notice of the post after it went viral on social media. The post was described by the DPO as “malicious and insulting against the Chief Minister”.

This arrest comes on the heels of the passage of the controversial amendments to the PECA by the National Assembly on the same day as the arrest. The new provision, Section 26(A), under which the suspect and group admin were booked, penalises online perpetrators of “fake news”. The provision reads:

“Whoever intentionally disseminates, publicly exhibits, or transmits any information through any information system, that he knows or has reason to believe to be false or fake and likely to cause or create a sense of fear, panic or disorder or unrest in general public or society shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend upto three years or with fine which may extend to Rs2m or with both.”