PECA Amendment Bill becomes law amid journalists’ protests

PECA Amendment Bill becomes law amid journalists’ protests

Islamabad : The President’s signature on the PECA Amendment Bill 2025 became a law amid journalists’ protests President Asif Ali Zardari has ratified the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (PECA) Amendment Bill 2025.

Meanwhile on the call of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), the journalist community held protests across the country, including in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Quetta, against the controversial PECA Act Amendment Bill.

Journalist leaders rejected the amendment to the PECA Act and termed it an attack on freedom of the press.
Meanwhile, the journalist community also held a protest demonstration against the PECA Act Amendment Bill at the National Press Club, Islamabad. On this occasion, the speakers said that the cybercrime laws under the recent amendments are an attack on freedom of expression and freedom of the press.

The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and other journalist organizations continued their protest at the National Press Club, Islamabad, after President Asif Ali Zardari signed the PECA Act Amendment Bill, while slogans were raised against the bill.
The journalist community participated in the Islamabad Press Club protest in large numbers, led by PFUJ President Afzal Butt, while the protesters raised banners and chanted slogans against the PECA Amendment Bill.

Anchor persons and office bearers of the National Press Club addressed the protest of the journalists and said that this law is not applicable to journalists but to everyone who has a mobile phone in their hands.

Addressing the protest of journalists, PFUJ President Afzal Butt said that Pakistan People’s Party is fighting for press freedom, while keeping the foundation of PPP, Bhutto fulfilled the promises made to PFUJ, Bhutto’s spirit must have trembled when Asif Zardari signed,

PFUJ believes that the regulation of social media is the need of the hour. RIUJ President Tariq Virk said that the government passed the bill, before that the PTI government was also bringing a bill, we have to do journalism, the government has to go, our journalists are affected by this bill, we were not consulted regarding this bill. Tariq Virk further said that the bill was not on the agenda of the assembly, the bill was passed overnight, the opposition members got angry after the approval of the controversial PECA Amendment Bill the other day, and they tore up copies of the agenda in protest, journalists also walked out of the press gallery.

After being approved by the National Assembly by a majority vote last Thursday, the PECA Amendment Bill 2025 was presented in the Senate the next day, which was sent to the Standing Committee by the Chairman Senate. Apart from this, journalist organizations had condemned the PECA Amendment Bill in their separate statements. Federal Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer Hussain had said that the bill is not related to newspapers or TV, it will only deal with social media,

The federal government had presented the PICA Act Amendment Bill 2025 in the National Assembly on January 22. The latest draft of changes in cybercrime laws, the ‘Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Bill 2025’, was presented in the National Assembly by Federal Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar. The President has signed the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Amendment Bill 2025.

After the President’s signature, the PICA Act Amendment Bill 2025 has become a law. Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act Bill 2025 has added Section 26(A) to punish those who commit online ‘fake news’. The amendment bill states that whoever knowingly disseminates false information, or sends it to any other person, which is likely to cause fear or insecurity in the society, can be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, with a fine which may extend to Rs 2 million

Comments (0)
Add Comment