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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 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.”

January 23, 2025 - Comments Off on Journalists, Opposition walk out of NA as controversial PECA amendments passed

Journalists, Opposition walk out of NA as controversial PECA amendments passed

Pakistan’s National Assembly has passed controversial amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), to which journalists and members of the opposition PTI party, who both walked out of the National Assembly, walked out in protest. These amendments to the PECA have been condemned since they were first leaked, not just as the overly broad language could be interpreted to further attack freedom of expression, but because drafts of the bill had not been shared or discussed with stakeholders, which has been heavily criticised by activists and journalists. The bill will now be sent to the Pakistani Senate for a final approval.

The government has for several months claimed that the new provisions are necessary to tackle “fake news” or disinformation, with people accused of such to be “punished with imprisonment which may extend upto three years or with fine which may extend to Rs2m or with both.”

In addition to proposing the creation of a Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority (SMPRA), the amendments have expanded the definition of “social media platforms” to include the “tools” or software used to access said platforms. This expansion of the definition of “social media platforms”, even before the bill’s passing, was widely regarded as a vehicle to provide legal cover to future attempts to ban “unregistered” local VPNs – a legal opinion by the Ministry of Law had thwarted previous VPN ban attempts.

Nighat Dad, Digital Rights Foundation’s Executive Director, said that the passing of the amendments came as a “shock”, and that civil society organisations and other stakeholders had not been shown any drafts, with the result that the final version “suddenly came out of nowhere”. In addition to remarking that the bill should not have been passed owing to the “broad and ambiguous” powers it gave to authorities – already a serious  and ongoing concern about the PECA – Ms. Dad also pointed out its definitions concerning “false and fake information” were suspect – notable given that global authorities have not been able to provide consistent and universally applicable definitions themselves.

January 22, 2025 - Comments Off on PML-N, PPP Agree On PECA Amendments

PML-N, PPP Agree On PECA Amendments

Two of Pakistan’s ruling parties, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), have come together on amending the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), despite disagreements especially with regards to social media control – a controversial point of contention and penalties. As per proposed legislation under this agreement, social media usage will be regulated via a new government authority to be established.

 

The new authority will have the responsibility of determining what constitutes disinformation or “fake news”, and will have the power to impose penalties for disseminating disinformation – a maximum of three years in prison, and fines. The length of the sentence was one of the key points that the PPP and PML-N strongly disagreed upon, as the latter had originally proposed sentence of ten years. The new authority will have powers similar to, according to ARY News, “the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA).”

January 21, 2025 - Comments Off on Interior Ministry to oversee PECA

Interior Ministry to oversee PECA

The Government of Pakistan has amended the Rules of Business 1973 to shift responsibilities regarding the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) from the Ministry of Information Technology & Information (MOITT) to the Ministry of the Interior, during a federal cabinet meeting chaired by Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif. In the context of governance in Pakistan, “Rules of Business” refers to the rules by which all “business” or “all work done by the Federal Government” is to be undertaken, as per relevant ministries. The government has not as yet updated the “Rules of Business 1973” on its websites as yet, so the version embedded above is the most up to date as of January 22, 2025.

 

News reports have not thus far discussed what this shift in ministerial oversight for PECA might mean in regards to the rights of freedom of expression and to privacy, especially in the light of proposed amendments to the PECA that seek to provide legal grounds for banning VPNs and other means of accessing social media.

January 10, 2025 - Comments Off on Internet Disruptions and Shutdowns In January

Internet Disruptions and Shutdowns In January

Between January 1-10, 2025, Pakistan faced significant internet disruptions across 15 regions, severely impacting connectivity and digital access. Karachi, Islamabad, and Kashmir experienced heavy censorship, including social media bans and throttled internet and data networks. Protests, political events, and security operations drove many shutdowns, with localized disruptions in Gwadar and Swat.

A major submarine cable fault on January 2 caused nationwide slowdowns, crippling e-commerce and affecting critical infrastructure. Despite mitigation efforts, such as additional bandwidth, the incident exposed vulnerabilities within Pakistan's digital infrastructure, emphasizing the urgent need for improved internet stability and protection of digital rights.

December 24, 2024 - Comments Off on Bilawal advocate “bill of rights” for digital age

Bilawal advocate “bill of rights” for digital age

It is time to draft a “digital bill of rights”, said PPP leader Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, in an attempt to create further space between him and the government regarding the latter’s controversial direction regarding VPNs and internet disruptions in recent months.

Though he agreed that security measures should be taken to tackle disinformation and misinformation, Bhutto-Zardari said that “babus and politicians sitting in Islamabad do not understand” the internet, and that the government was seeking to control people “in the shape [of controlling] bandwidth, optical fibre and wireless internet.”

Calling upon young people to contribute to and develop a draft “bill of rights”,  Bhutto-Zardari said that he would table the draft in the National Assembly once the draft had been prepared through a consultative process.

“I will believe access to the internet should be declared a fundamental right, like [the right to a clean] environment was declared a fundamental right in the 26th amendment. Affordable, equitable access to high speed internet should be a fundamental right,” said  Bhutto-Zardari.

December 19, 2024 - Comments Off on DRF researchers comment on increasing internet censorship in Pakistan

DRF researchers comment on increasing internet censorship in Pakistan

Pakistan is experiencing a rise in internet censorship, with bans and restrictions becoming increasingly sophisticated, a recent piece by Index on Censorship discussed. DRF researcher and activist Anam Baloch highlighted how these measures often go undetected, as entire platforms are not always blocked.

“Recently, WhatsApp and Instagram issues were reported but when we tested [them] on OONI [Open Observatory of Network Interference] they were fine because they were not blocking entire platforms,” Baloch told Index.

DRF researcher Seerat Khan warned that such restrictions are likely to escalate, reflecting global authoritarian trends. “These restrictions will only increase. They aren’t something that will go away with time,” she said. Khan emphasised that freedom of expression is intrinsically tied to other fundamental rights like access to information and freedom of assembly. “All these freedoms are under attack,” she added. With growing constraints, there’s diminishing space to challenge these measures, leaving citizens with fewer avenues for resistance.