She urges the government to scrap PECA, NCCIA, begin genuine consultations to draft laws that protect journalists
Journalist Benazir Shah has been targeted in a deeply fake video circulated by an X account, followed by Information Minister Attaullah Tarar. Shah condemned the incident on X and said such attacks would not silence her.
Minister Tarar quickly reacted, calling the act “completely unacceptable and highly condemnable” and saying action would be taken. He added that no one has the right to create fake videos to harass or defame journalists and clarified that he does not condone the behavior of the account in question.
PECA, enacted in 2016, aims to combat cybercrime, online harassment and the spread of illegal digital content. However, critics say the law has often been misused to target journalists, activists and political opponents, raising concerns about freedom of expression and digital rights in Pakistan.
Read: Journalist Imtiaz Mir succumbs to gunshot wounds
I appreciate that the Minister for Information is taking this matter seriously.
However, I do not want to pursue a PECA case through the NCCIA, as that would lend legitimacy to a law and institution that has been used to harass journalists, silence private citizens, and oppress…
— Benazir Shah (@Benazir_Shah) 17 November 2025
Shah welcomed the minister’s response but made it clear that she would not pursue a case under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) through the National Counter Cybercrime Investigation Agency (NCCIA). She argued that using the law and the agency would lend legitimacy to an institution that has often been used to harass journalists, silence citizens and suppress dissent.
She urged the government to scrap PECA and NCCIA and start a genuine consultation process to draft legislation that addresses the safety of journalists. Reiterating his resilience, Shah said #AttacksWontSilenceUs.
