• PFUJ observes black day; NCSW warns law changes may silence dissent
• PM may establish committee to resolve journalists’ issues, says Barrister Aqeel
• LHC issues notices to law and IT ministries, declines immediate stay
ISLAMABAD / LAHORE: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Friday defended the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) 2025, even as journalists and civil society observed a ‘Black Day’.
In a statement, Mr Tarar insisted that the law aims to curb the misuse of social media and ensure responsible digital activity.
He urged media bodies to support the legislation, arguing that fake news, harassment, pornography, child abuse and national security threats have proliferated on digital platforms. He also accused social media actors of spreading economic uncertainty and creating chaos.
The minister said the Peca amendments propose the establishment of a Social Media Authority, all of whose nominees would be from the private sector, including an IT expert and a journalist associated with a press club.
He added that a tribunal would be formed under Peca, and its decisions could be challenged in a high court and the Supreme Court.
Mr Tarar acknowledged that rules for Peca amendments were yet to be finalised and assured that the government was open to consultation with journalists and media organisations.
Meanwhile, Barrister Aqeel Malik, the prime minister’s adviser, also defended the legislation, stressing that the amendments were necessary and that the newly amended Peca was a “watered-down” version.
However, he agreed that “there is always room for improvement”, and the PM would establish a committee to resolve journalists’ issues and ensure their concerns regarding Peca are addressed.
“We invite the Joint Action Committee to bring forward their proposals. The rules for Peca have not yet been finalised and are still under development. If journalists believe the rules should be amended or specific clauses need revision, we are ready to discuss the matter,” he said during an appearance on DawnNews.
Black day observed
Journalists protested against the Peca amendments at the National Press Club, Islamabad, on the call of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ).
At an event, senior journalists, media workers, anchors and civil society members raised slogans against the government’s crackdown on free speech. The speakers also slammed the information minister for deceiving journalists. The speakers, including PFUJ President Afzal Butt, highlighted that the members of the parliament, both in the opposition and in the government, had violated their pledge over the Peca amendments.
They stressed that when the parties are in the opposition, they try to woo the media, but once they are in power, they introduce such draconian laws.
Mr Butt announced that the protest drive against the amendment would soon spread over the country, and the government would have to back off from implementing this “severely harsh law” that would curb the freedom of speech in the country.
Meanwhile, the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) also raised concerns over Peca’s broad scope, warning that the law could be weaponised against journalists, social media influencers and ordinary citizens.
In a statement, the commission said that Peca imposed harsh penalties, including up to three years imprisonment and Rs2 million fines, even for unintentional mistakes.
It said that stakeholders feared that vague wording in the law would be used to target dissenting voices rather than counter fake news.
The NCSW also warned of disproportionate impacts on women, who make up 49 per cent of the population and are more vulnerable to restrictive online regulations.
The commission urged the law and information ministers to revisit the law and establish clear boundaries to prevent misuse while still tackling misinformation and online abuse.
LHC issues notices
In a separate development, the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday turned down a request for immediate suspension of Peca amendments and issued notices to the federal ministries of law and IT in response to a petition challenging the amendments.
Justice Farooq Haider heard the petition, filed by journalist Jaffar bin Yar through Advocate Nadeem Sarwar, arguing that media stakeholders were not consulted before passing the Peca amendments.
Advocate Sarwar also stressed that the law was passed via a fast-track process, bypassing proper legislative scrutiny.
He highlighted that under the newly amended Peca, spreading fake information would be punishable by three years of imprisonment and fines, which would completely suppress the remaining so-called freedom of expression in the country.
The lawyer noted that the amendments had also enhanced the powers previously available to the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) through the newly created Social Media Protection and Regulation Authority.
The counsel contended that Peca’s provisions were disproportionate, opaque and violated free speech. He warned that the law would suppress investigative journalism rather than curb disinformation.
“The Peca amendments are a new tool of self-censorship,” he said, adding that the amendments were unconstitutional and violated the constitutional guarantee of freedom of expression. He asked the court to immediately suspend the Peca amendments till a final decision on the petition.
However, the judge observed that a stay order could not be granted without seeking replies from the respondents. The judge then issued notices to the respondents, directing them to submit their replies within a fortnight.
With input from PPI
Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2025
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