Latest news with #PECA(Amendment)Act
Business Recorder
3 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
Express Tribune
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
SCBA, journos call for repealing PECA tweaks
A consultative meeting held under the auspices of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) on Monday demanded annulment of the recent amendments made to the country's cybercrime lawthe Prevention of Electronic Crime Act (PECA), 2016. The meeting titled "Media Under Threat: Challenges Faced by Media Personnel Post-PECA (Amendment) Act, 2025" was organized at the SCBA head office. Chaired by the SCBA President Rauf Atta, the session was attended by members of the bar as well as senior journalists and media personnel. The meeting later passed unanimous resolutions emphasizing freedom of expression and denouncing the recent amendments to PECA. "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," said a statement issued after the meeting.
Express Tribune
17-02-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
IHC acting CJ takes up PECA plea
ISLAMABAD: Justice Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar, the Islamabad High Court's (IHC) newly appointed acting chief justice, took up on Monday a petition filed against the recent amendments to the country's cybercrime law, the Prevention of Electronic Crime Act (PECA), 2016. Justice Dogar was one of the three judges who were transferred from three different provincial high courts to the IHC through a notification issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice on February 3. Five IHC judges filed representations against the transferred judges after the IHC former chief justice, Aamer Farooq, issued a new seniority list in which Justice Dogar appeared as the senior puisne judge. Justice Farooq later rejected the representations and after his elevation to the Supreme Court, Justice Dogar was sworn in as the IHC's acting chief justice in a ceremony boycotted by a number of his IHC colleagues on February 14. On Monday, a single-member bench comprising Justice Dogar addressed the petition filed against the PECA (Amendment) Act, 2025 by the IHC Journalist Association (IHCJA). The IHCJA's lawyer, Mian Samiuddin, informed the bench that similar petitions against PECA amendments were being heard by IHC's Justice Inam Amin Minhas. Responding to a query of the judge, the lawyer said Justice Minhas had adjourned the case for two weeks. He requested the IHC acting chief justice to form a larger bench to hear the plea. Justice Dogar replied that Justice Minas would decide whether a larger bench was needed or not. He instructed the IHC registrar to club the IHCJA's petition with other petitions filed against the PECA (Amendment) Act, 2025. The petition stated that the PECA (Amendment) Act, 2025 is an attack on press freedom and is unconstitutional and illegal. It requested judicial review, arguing that the amendment act violates Articles 19 and 19A of the Constitution.
Express Tribune
07-02-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Panel to liaise with journalists on PECA law
LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly's Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting has decided to form a sub-committee to address concerns of the journalists regarding the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). The decision was announced during a committee meeting chaired by MNA Pullain Baloch. Minister for Information and Broadcasting Atta Tarar said the Act is solely intended to regulate digital media and would not impact newspapers or television channels, as they are already governed by existing regulations. Meanwhile, the Lahore High Court (LHC) has admitted for hearing another petition filed by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) against some recent amendments to the country's cybercrime lawthe Prevention of Electronic Crime Act (PECA), 2016. The journalistic organization — the PFUJhas also approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the "draconian" amendments bulldozed through parliament last week. LHC's Justice Farooq Haider on Thursday took up the petition for hearing and later issued notices to various respondents including the federal government. The petition argued that the PECA (Amendment) Act, 2025 was passed after suspending the National Assembly rules. It said the bill was introduced without consultation with journalistic organizations and will severely impact the freedom of expression granted by the Constitution. In its petition filed in the IHC through Advocate Imran Shafiq on Thursday, the PFUJ claims that the PECA (Amendment) Act, 2025 is an attack on press freedom. It says that the amendment is unconstitutional and illegal, requiring judicial review.
Express Tribune
05-02-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
PECA tweaks challenged
ISLAMABAD/KARACHI: Recent amendments to the law that originally dealt with cybercrimes — the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016 — have been challenged both in the apex court as well as the provincial High Court of Sindh (SHC). A citizen, Abdul Qayyum, has filed a constitutional petition in the Supreme Court, contending that PECA (Amendment) Act, 2025 violates the basic rights of citizens and should therefore be set aside. The petition argues that even parliament cannot pass any law abridging basic rights. Meanwhile, two journalistic organizationsthe Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) and the Society of Court Reportershave approached the SHC against the amendments bulldozed through parliament last week amid protest by opposition and journalists. The petition argues that the PECA (Amendment) Act, 2025 grants authorities the power to remove and block content from social media platforms. It states that Section 2(R), Subsection 1(H) of the amended act does not include the words "false" or "fake." The PECA law violates Articles 8, 9, 10-A, 18, 19, and 19-A of the Constitution, while also contradicting Islamic laws, it claims. The petition states that Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) also provides protection to journalists. Pakistan has signed the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights, which safeguards journalists as well. The PECA (Amendment) Act, 2025 is an attempt to censor the truth. Members of the assembly are public representatives, and the public has the right to access information about them.
