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July 8, 2025 - Comments Off on IHC seeks proposals from journalist bodies during Peca petition hearings

IHC seeks proposals from journalist bodies during Peca petition hearings

 https://www.dawn.com/news/1922702/peca-plea-journalists-input-sought-by-ihc-on-social-media-regulation

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) is reviewing petitions filed by journalist groups including the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, Islamabad High Court Journalists Association, and senior anchor Hamid Mir challenging the 2025 amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). Under Justice Raja I. Ameen Minhas, the court asked these bodies to submit proposals aimed at regulating social media and scrutinizing the legal frameworks used to combat fake and defamatory content. The hearing opened with detailed arguments from PFUJ’s counsel, tracing the evolution of PECA from its original 2016 version to the newly introduced provisions such as establishing a Social Media Complaints Council that petitioners allege threaten freedom of expression and press independence. The petitioners raised serious concerns over the amendments, calling them a threat to free speech.

February 25, 2025 - Comments Off on Supreme Court Bar Association, Journalists Call for Repeal of PECA Amendments

Supreme Court Bar Association, Journalists Call for Repeal of PECA Amendments

Senior journalists and members of Pakistan’s legal bar called for the repeal of recent amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), passing unanimous resolutions at the February 24th 2025 consultative meeting of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) in Islamabad, the nation’s capital. The resolutions, which condemned the passage of  “PECA Amendments 2025” and defended the right to freedom expression were as follows (as per reporting by Express Tribune):

"This consultative meeting condemns and disapproves the PECA (Amendment) Act, 2025, being defective legislation, considering it a violation of Article 19 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to freedom of speech and expression.

"This consultative meeting holds that the PECA (Amendment) Act, 2025, infringes upon the rights of media personnel as protected under Article 19 of the ICCPR, adopted by the United Nations and to which Pakistan is signatory". 

February 16, 2025 - Comments Off on PECA Amendments threaten press freedom: Int’l Federation of Journalists head

PECA Amendments threaten press freedom: Int’l Federation of Journalists head

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has called upon the Pakistani government to repeal the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). Meeting with members of Pakistan’s Federal Union of Journalists during their Federal Executive Council elections, IJF President Dominique Pradalié led a protest march against recently passed PECA Amendments, alongside PFUJ members its President and Secretary General. The PFUJ leadership also said that more protests wound be held by next week if the government, according to IFJ, “failed to commit to a platform benefiting journalists and media workers in Pakistan.”.

In a statement the IFJ said that:

“Journalists and media workers in Pakistan must enjoy their constitutional rights to free expression and press freedom. The IFJ continues to stand in solidarity with Pakistan’s media community in the wake of draconian amendments to the PECA, and urge authorities to repeal the legislation.

February 15, 2025 - Comments Off on Government blocks resolution against PECA Amendments

Government blocks resolution against PECA Amendments

The government of Pakistan blocked a resolution against the Prevention of Electronic Act (PECA) Amendments 2025, via calling attention to quorum at the last moment. The resolution was tabled by Senator Aon Abbas Buppi (PTI), who called on the government to review the law again and to remove provisions contradictory to human rights. The Law Minister brought to the Senate Chair’s attention that there was a lack of quorum in the House, confirmed by Acting Chairperson Senator Sherry Rehman’s ordering a headcount. The resolution stated:

“The House calls upon the government to immediately amend Peca 2025 to align it with constitutional rights and international standards, ensuring a balanced approach between digital governance and press freedom in Pakistan”.

Members of the opposition then met with Parliamentary Reporter Association representatives present in the Parliamentary Media Press Gallery and expressed solidarity. At this time, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) staged rallies across the country against the PECA Amendments.

February 11, 2025 - Comments Off on PECA Amendment Act riddled with errors, say lawyers

PECA Amendment Act riddled with errors, say lawyers

The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act or PECA Amendments 2025, rushed into law earlier this year, is replete with errors that include incorrect section numbering and contradictory definitions, the Islamabad High Court was told, during a hearing filed by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and other media professionals.

Imran Shafique, a lawyer working on behalf of the petition filers, argued that the speed at which the PECA Amendments had been passed meant that not only were sections numbered incorrectly, but that errors such as, for example “complainant” being defined more than once twice, resulted in the Act “contradicting itself”, according to The News International. Mr. Shafique also said that the “complaint authority” which was established through PECA was already in existence under the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority. Islamabad High Court Bar Association President Riyasat Ali Azad also argued that the PECA Amendment Act was in violation of Articles 19 and 19A of the Constitution of Pakistan.

February 4, 2025 - Comments Off on PECA Amendments Challenged, Petition Filed With Supreme Court

PECA Amendments Challenged, Petition Filed With Supreme Court

A petition against the recently passed Amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crime Act (PECA) has been filed with Pakistan’s Supreme High Court (SC), arguing that the amendments violate human rights and are not consistent with the Constitution of Pakistan. Filed by a citizen, Muhammad Qayyum Khan, the petition asserts that rights to free expression have been undermined by the PECA and its amendments, and that they must come under review by the Supreme Court. The President of Pakistan, Speaker of the National Assembly, Chairman of the Senate, and Secretary of Law have been included as respondents to the case by the petitioner.

The petition also states that:

"In the national interest of peace and stability, it is humbly requested that a full court bench review the amendment and the existing law in light of our fundamental right to express opinions and share information in society”.

 

February 4, 2025 - Comments Off on Asia Internet Coalition trade body expresses concern over PECA Amendments

Asia Internet Coalition trade body expresses concern over PECA Amendments

The Asia Internet Coalition (AIC) has expressed deep  “concerns” over the recently passed “Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act, 2025”. A tech industry body made up of companies such as Google, Apple, Facebook, LinkedIn, Amazon, and Cloudfare among others, the AIC claimed that the amendments “would have a significant impact on people’s digital rights and freedoms, as well as far-reaching implications for Pakistan’s digital economy”, and called upon the Government of Pakistan to:

“...pause the legislative process and initiate a genuine, transparent, inclusive, and comprehensive public consultation process with stakeholders, including industry, civil society, and the public, to ensure the amendments are in line with established human rights norms on privacy and freedom of expression and does not stifle economic growth and innovation.”

The statement by the AIC can be found here, in PDF format: https://aicasia.org/download/1187/

February 3, 2025 - Comments Off on PECA Amendments Essential to tackling “fake news”: Government

PECA Amendments Essential to tackling “fake news”: Government

The recently passed amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) are necessary to tackle disinformation or “fake news”, claimed Attaullah Tarar, the Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting. Tarar argued that the amendments were essential as “people share content without verifying its authenticity. This reckless behavior has escalated to the point where people don’t hesitate to label others as infidels.”

Tarar also said that he invited critics of the PECA Amendments to engage with him and with PECA Joint Action Committee on PECA, claiming that if any sections are deemed inconsistent with fundamental rights, we are open to suggestions”.

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 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.