During the hearing of a petition on the Law on Electronic Crime Prevention (amendment) (PECA), 2025, in the Superior Court of Islamabad (IHC), a lawyer warned that if the law is applied, journalists and the media They will be left alone. In the weather.
The IHC heard a petition on Tuesday challenging the law, which according to journalists violates constitutional rights and restricts freedom of the press.
During the procedures, the lawyer Imran Shafique and the president of the Bar Association of the Superior Court of Islamabad (IHCBA), Riyasat Ali Azad, indicated serious legal inconsistencies in the law. Shafique argued that Peca was approved in a hurry, with errors in legal writing, including duplicate and contradictory sections.
Azad argued that the law violated articles 19 and 19a of the Constitution, which guarantee freedom of expression and access to information.
“If you apply sin, journalists will have nothing to inform except the weather,” he said.
Judicial questions Regulation of false news
By chairing the hearing, Judge Inaam Amin Minhas asked whether to stop false news should be a priority. “False news is in fact a problem,” he said.
The president of PFUJ, AFZAL BUTT, replied that although journalists oppose erroneous information, media regulation should not violate fundamental rights.
“We support responsible journalism, but censorship disguised as regulation is unacceptable,” he said.
The petitioners urged the court to suspend the law, which led to the IHC to issue a notice to the Attorney General.
The court said the Registrar’s Office would establish a new hearing date.
Pfuj challenges the cyber crimes law
The Federal Union of Journalists of Pakistan (PFUJ) presented a petition last week, calling a attack against press freedom.
He argued that the amendments expand government control over speech and criminalize false news without due process.
The petition also said that Peca violates international human rights and digital freedoms, urging the Court to write it down.
What does sin do?
The modified PCA law reduces the maximum prison sentence for disseminating false information to three years and imposes fines of up to RS2 million.
It also presents new regulatory agencies, including the Social Network Protection and Regulation Authority (SMPRA), the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) and the Social Network Protection Courts.
The law allows people to request the elimination of the “false” content within 24 hours and requires that social networks platforms register with the authorities. The cases presented under a sin must be resolved within 90 days, with allowed appeals to the Supreme Court within 60 days.
The amendments were quickly approved by the Government, causing criticism of opposition parties, journalists and media guards about the lack of consultation and possible threats to press freedom.
