Islamabad/Lahore:
Leaving aside the growing opposition, President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday gave his consent to the controversial amendments to the laws of cyber crimes in the country, despite the calls of journalists and media organizations to stop the bill.
The measure occurred a day after the Senate exceeded the prevention of the amendments of the Law of Electronic Crimes (PCA) 2016 that caused protests throughout the country of the workers of the media that affirmed that the law was an order of gag disguised.
A press release issued by the Presidency confirmed that Zarari signed the prevention of the Electronic Crime Law (amendment), 2025, together with the Digital Pakistan bill and the bill of the National Women’s State Commission ( Amendment).
The firm followed the claims of the Association of Parliamentary Reporters (PRA) before Wednesday that the President had accepted his request, transmitted through the superior policy Maulana Fazlur Rehman, to delay the bill.
“The president, at the request of Mauna Fazlur Rehman, has stopped the bill for some time until Pra Pakistan sends his suggestions,” said Pra.
However, according to the Constitution, the President can return a bill to Parliament once, but if he is returned for the second time, his assent is considered granted even if he does not sign it within ten days.
According to PRA, a delegation of the association met with Fazl, who later contacted President Zardari. Fazl expressed solidarity with the concerns of the PRA about the approval of the bill “without consultations”.
According to the reports, the Chief of Jui-F transmitted the concerns of the PRA delegation and its president, Usman Khan, to the president.
He firmly urged Zardari “not to immediately sign the draft amendment law,” emphasizing that “journalists from all over the country have opposed certain sections of the same” and asking those concerns to be addressed.
PRA’s statement said that Zarari assured Fazl of “full cooperation” and promised that the consultations would be carried out between the PRA and the Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, with respect to the bill.
Peca challenged in LHC
The 2025 Peca amendment law has been challenged in the Superior Court of Lahore (LHC), with concerns raised about its impact on freedom of expression and press freedoms.
A written petition challenged the draft amendment Bill 2025, asking the Court to declare several of its unconstitutional provisions for being inconsistent with several articles of the Constitution of Pakistan, 1973.
The petition was presented by Jaffar Bin Yar through his lawyer, lawyer Nadeem Sarwar. The declaration appoints the Pakistan Electoral Commission (ECP), the Telecommunications Authority of Pakistan (PTA), the Ministry of Law, the Cabinet Division and the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications as surveyed.
The petition argues that the National Assembly accelerated the approval of the Bill of the Bill of the Peque last week by suspending its own rules, avoiding the necessary scrutiny.
The petitioner argues that in the past, Peca has been used as a tool to silence dissent, and that new sanctions will further erode the already limited freedoms of the country.
The petition also states that the amendments were introduced without consulting with the relevant interested parties, including media organizations, violating constitutional protections for freedom of expression and expression.
Calling the unconstitutional peca amendment law, the petitioner urged the court to write down and suspend all the actions under the law until a final verdict is reached.
The petitioner argued that the bill was presented without any consultation or discussion with the relevant stakeholders, including media and journalists organizations.
He argued that the rush with which the bill was run by the lower house of Parliament eroded public trust and raised serious concerns about the intention behind the amendments, particularly its impact on constitutionally guaranteed rights, such as freedom of expression and Press freedom.
He argued that the amendments were disproportionate, not transparent and harmful to freedom of expression. The imposition of prison and fines, argued, was excessive and seemed designed to silence dissident voices and suppress critical journalism instead of combat misinformation.
“Peque amendments are a new self -censorship tool,” the petition said.
The petitioner also said that the bill was approved without consultation or debate and that the amendments expand the powers previously available from the PTA by creating the authority for regulating and protection of social networks.
These provisions, they argued, grant the authorities the power to block and eliminate content based on vague criteria, violating the right to freedom of expression and not complying with international standards for human rights of proportionality and need.
The amendments also introduce a criminal offense for disseminating “false and false information”, with a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a fine.
The petitioner highlighted the concerns about the vagus and ambiguous language used to define this crime, warning that the expression online could be used badly, particularly given the story of Peca that is used against dissident voices.
Bar to protest
Meanwhile, Lahore’s Association today has announced a general meeting of the House of Representatives to discuss the opposition to the PCA ordinance and the 26th constitutional amendment.
After the meeting, lawyers will organize a protest march to Charing Cross in a show of challenge against the controversial legislation.
It is expected that the secretary of the Bar Association of the Supreme Court, Salman Mansoor, addresses the meeting, generating alarms on the legal consequences of the Peca amendment and its possible misuse against journalists and dissident voices.
