Islamabad/Karachi:
Recent amendments to the law that initially treated cybercrime – prevention of the Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016 – have been contested both in the point of view as well as the provincial High Court of Sindh (SHC).
A citizen, Abdul Qayyum, has filed a constitutional petition in the Supreme Court, claiming that PECA (amendment), 2025 violates the fundamental rights of citizens and should therefore be set aside. The petition claims that even Parliament cannot pass any law to reject fundamental rights.
Meanwhile, two journalistic organizations – Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) and the Society of Court journalists – have addressed SHC against the amendments bulldozated through parliament last week in the midst of opposition and journalists.
The petition claims that the PECA (amendment) Act, 2025, the authorities give the power to remove and block content from social media platforms. It says section 2 (s), Sub -Section 1 (H) of the amended law does not include the words “false” or “false.”
The PECA Act is in violation of Articles 8, 9, 10-A, 18, 19 and 19-A of the Constitution, while it also contradicts Islamic laws, claims it.
The petition says Article 19 of the International Charter on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) also provides journalists. Pakistan has signed the Cairo declaration on human rights that also protect journalists.
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.
