Sindh High Court has issued a message to the federal government and sought a response regarding a petition against the PECA Act within two weeks.
The two-member bench, led by Chief Justice of Sindh High Court Justice Mohammad Shafi Siddiqui, heard the petition challenge the PECA law.
The court asked, “What’s wrong with this law? Shouldn’t anyone spread false news punishment?”
The petitioner’s lawyer, Barrister Ali Tahir, raised the basic question of who decides what is false or true. Chief Justice noted that not all decisions are made by the courts; Some are made by the authorities. “You also have the right to appeal to authorities’ decisions.”
Barrister Ali Tahir claimed that such decisions should be made by the Court as they involve fundamental rights. Chief Justice replied and said that if this is a matter of fundamental rights, the case must be heard by a constitutional bench.
Barrister Ali Tahir quoted the Attock Cement case, where the court had decided that regular benches could review the constitutional validity of any law.
The court issued a message to the federal government and ordered a reply to be submitted within two weeks, posting the hearing for two weeks.
Earlier, Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaf (PTI) challenged together with civil society and journalistic organizations PECA Changing Act 2025 in Lahore High Court.
The opposition leader for the Punjab assembly, Ahmed Bachhar, along with other petition against the Peca Act 2025, filed through lawyer Azhar Siddique. The petition has appointed the provincial government, the chief secretary and others as respondents.
The petition claims that the PECA Requests Act violates Article 19-A in the Constitution. It says the law does not define “fake news” that allows authorities to feel any news as false and intervene in political reasons.
According to the petition, the changed law requires journalists to reveal their news sources, which is a violation of journalistic ethics. The petition requests the Court to declare the PECA change law constitutionally and cancel it. In addition, it calls on the right to stop any actions under the law until a final decision is made.
