Latest news with #InaamAmeenMinhas
Business Recorder
4 days ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
PECA Act: Respondents asked to submit comments
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) gave a deadline to the respondents to submit comments in the petitions challenging amendments in the PECA Act. A single bench of Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas on Wednesday heard the petitions of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), anchors association and Islamabad High Court Journalists Association (IHCJA). In the petition, counsel of the journalist body adopted the stance that the PECA (Amendment) Act is unconstitutional and illegal; hence, the court should conduct judicial review on it. The petition said the PECA (Amendment) 2025 increased the government control and restrictions on freedom of speech. It said the PECA law violated Article 19 and 19(A) of the Constitution as well. Therefore, it pleaded, the law should be suspended. PECA amendments challenged in SC During the hearing, Advocate Imran Shafiq and other lawyers appeared in the court on behalf of the petitioners. Advocate Shafiq said the federal government has filed its reply only through the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Information while the Ministry of Law and Justice, Parliamentary Affairs and the PTA have not submitted any response yet. He informed the bench that the federal government has raised a question on the jurisdiction of this court. He added that the federation has stated that after the 26th Constitutional Amendment, only the Constitutional Bench of the High Court can hear this case. The lawyer said the second objection was raised while giving a reference of a Quranic verse that before spreading the words, do research. The lawyer said the FIRs are being registered against people and the court should hear this case soon. The IHC bench asked whether there is no news going on? Is someone preventing news from being given or published? Riasat Ali Azad advocate prayed the court to issue a stay order that there will be no FIR or arrest against the journalist for reporting the news. He said that the parties are not submitting a response and are taking time from the court. Journalist Mazhar Abbas said that an atmosphere of harassment has been created in the media industry and the journalists are being summoned and harassed by the FIA. The petitioner's lawyer said the parties should be directed to file their replies and provide a copy of the replies to the petitioners in advance before the next hearing. Justice Inaam remarked that even if the response is not filed, the hearing will still be continued. He said that this case would take a long time and therefore, it will be scheduled after Eid. Later, the court deferred hearing of the case till the second week of July. The PFUJ said in the petition that the law infringed international human rights as well as digital rights in Pakistan. The petition read: '…a writ may be issued declaring that the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act, 2025 is unconstitutional, being violative of the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution, due process, fair trial, and the concept of regulatory independence, as well as the doctrines of fairness, proportionality, reasonableness, and constitutional limitations or restrictions, hence void, and liable to be struck down.' Therefore, the PFUJ prayed that the respondents may be restrained and prevented from employing the coercive powers under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act, 2025, in general, and against the journalist community, in particular till final disposal of the instant petition. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
6 days ago
- General
- Business Recorder
Challenging JIT under PECA: IHC dismisses PTI leader's plea
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC), Tuesday, dismissed Sheikh Waqas Akram's petition challenging the Joint Investigation Team (JIT)'s notice issued to him under Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016. The JIT has summoned the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader to investigate about the party's alleged social media campaign against the state institutions. The case was fixed before a single bench of Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas on Tuesday. The case was called twice, but neither Sheikh Waqas nor his counsel appeared before the Court, the judge; therefore, dismissed the petition for non-prosecution. The petition filed by PTI leader, Sheikh Waqas Akram, through Barrister Muhammad Umer Riaz challenging the JIT and the proceedings of PECA against him. The petitioner has challenged the JIT notification dated 26.07.2024 terming it illegal, unlawful, and in violation of Section 30 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, and Schedule VII of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Investigation Rules, 2018. The petitioner contended that the impugned notification is illegal and unlawful, asking to appear before JIT, constituted under Section 30 of the Act of 2016 and Schedule VII the Rules, 2018. He submitted that Section 30 of the Act of 2016 provides certain conditions for formation of JIT to investigate the offence under the Act of 2016. He contended that this offence is neither defined nor covered under the notification dated 26.07.2024. He also stated that, as per the impugned notification, the Inspector General of Police of ICT, Islamabad, is heading the JIT, which is a complete violation of Section 2 of PECA 2016. The petitioner stated that Rule 16 is very clear that a time-frame for the offence ought to be mentioned in the notification, whereas, in this notification, no such thing is mentioned. He argued that, since the agency has already been established, there was no need to formulate a JIT, which is in violation of Section 29 of the PECA Act 2016. The JIT is investigating 16 individuals, including senior PTI leaders, for their alleged involvement in negative propaganda on social media. Meanwhile, a single bench of IHC Justice Muhammad Asif issued notices to the authorities in a petition seeking quashment of an FIR registered against former JI Senator Mushtaq Ahmed and his wife Humaira Tayyaba for allegedly violating Section 144 during the Gaza protest. The bench directed all parties to submit their responses by today (Wednesday). Police detained the former senator, his wife and other demonstrators were arrested for participating in a protest held outside the Islamabad Press Club against the ongoing Israeli atrocities in Gaza, and the case was registered at Kohsar Police Station on May 30 as the protest was deemed a violation of Section 144. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
IHC steps in to stop on-campus drug use
The capital's high court has stopped direct delivery of courier and goods ordered online including food to students of the educational institutions in Islamabad to prevent supply of narcotics. Islamabad High Court's (IHC) Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas on Monday resumed hearing a petition seeking changes in curricula to create awareness among children and young people about the adverse effects of drugs and narcotic substances. During the hearing, Justice Minhas asked officials whether they knew how narcotics made its way to schools, colleges and universities. He remarked that drugs are being delivered to schools and colleges through couriers and delivery personnel. "Check and report which schools and colleges are receiving what kind of deliveries. Children order pizza and food items and along with them, they also get drugs delivered. A ban must be imposed on direct deliveries by all delivery personnel," he said. Justice Minhas ordered authorities to stop direct delivery to students and to take action against the educational institutions that do not comply. "Implement this and present a report on the next hearing. Check which schools and colleges are frequently receiving direct deliveries. Take action against those institutions that do not comply," he said. During the hearing, the judge also asked if the National Anti-Narcotics Council (NANC) had been formed. Under the National Narcotics Policy, 2010, the NANC was to be set up in order to evaluate and review anti-narcotics policy. The judge noted that the NANC was to be a high-powered council to work under the chairmanship of the prime minister with the chief ministers of the provinces as its members. The IHC ordered the secretary cabinet affairs to submit a report in this regard and adjourned the hearing until May 28. At an earlier hearingon April 8 the Islamabad police had admitted in a report that they prioritize the security of VIPs over making efforts to curb the growing menace of drug use in educational institutions. The judge had expressed displeasure at the police's stance and issued a show-cause notice to the assistant inspector general (operations), directing him to explain why VIP security took precedence over student safety and anti-narcotics operations, said a news report. WITH INPUT FROM NEWS DESK
