Islamabad, Jan 23 (IANS) The National Assembly of Pakistan on Thursday passed the controversial Prevention of Electronic Crimes (PECA) Amendment Bill 2025 amid a massive protest by the main opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the country’s media community.
The controversial bill was tabled in the Parliament on Wednesday by law minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and later referred to the standing committee for review. On Thursday afternoon, the bill was introduced in the National Assembly under a supplementary agenda by Federal Minister Rana Tanveer.
As per the new PECA bill provisions, strict action would be taken against anyone who shares, publicly exhibits or transmits any false or fake news through any information system.
During the proceedings, political parties including PTI and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) opposed the bill and staged a walkout in protest, terming the bill as an “open license” for the government to imprison anyone who opposes it, even on social media.
“The PECA Act Amendment Bill introduces harsh penalties for social media users who criticise the government. Are you (the government) trying to silence everyone in Pakistan and not allow anyone to speak against the government? You want to label every activist as anti-state? It is clear that no one can express views or criticise the government anymore now. This law will backfire on the government. We reject it completely,” said PTI’s National Assembly member Zartaj Gul.
The politician questioned the government’s intentions behind rushing the bill through the legislative process.
“The bill was proposed yesterday and referred to the standing committee. And today, it was forced through the parliament without any proper briefing or explanation. This is not how a country should be run, by silencing everyone,” she stated.
Spokesperson and Information Advisor to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government, Barrister Saif also slammed the government for passing the PECA amendment bill.
“The grave that they are digging for the media will eventually be their own. These new laws are being introduced to eliminate media, judiciary and political opposition,” he said.
The bill has also been strongly opposed by the journalist bodies, who staged a walkout from the press gallery of the National Assembly in protest of the bill’s passing on Thursday.
“The amendments are a deliberate attempt to suppress the media, social media and the journalist community,” said Afzal Butt, President of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ).
“The KUJ protests any attempt to suppress freedom of expression under any circumstances and demands immediate withdrawal of this black law,” read a statement issued by the Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ).
According to the Section 26(A) of the new PECA Act, whoever intentionally disseminates, publicly exhibits, or transmits any information through any information system, that he knows or has reason to believe to be false or fake and likely to cause or create a sense of fear, panic or disorder or unrest in general public or society, shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend up to three years or with a fine which may extend to Rs two million, or both.
The bill allows establishment of a Digital Rights Protection Authority (DRPA), with the power to identify and remove any online content that falls under fake news or false propaganda and is judged illegal.
In spite of the huge criticism, the government maintains that the bill is critical to safeguard the public at large from what it terms as “harmful and illegal” content.
Terming the matter as an issue of national security, the government emphasised that fake news, false propaganda and spread of misinformation/disinformation needs to come under the radar of scrutiny.
“This is a matter of national interest for Pakistan. False propagandas are created on social media where politicians, armed forces, judiciary and other government and armed forces officers are being targetted. This is being done by elements hired to spread hatred, intolerance, chaos and unrest against our institutions and incite masses to violence. This cannot be allowed and has to be stopped,” said Information Minister Atta Tarar.
“Every country in the world has a policy for the media and the information that is shared. No country allows fake news to be allowed to propagate. We are doing the same. PECA ordinance is bad news to all those who spread fake news and wrong facts and does not aim to suppress freedom of expression or the freedom of press,” he added.
–IANS
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