Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), along with civil society and journalistic organisations, has challenged the PECA Amendment Act 2025 in the Lahore High Court.
Opposition Leader of the Punjab Assembly, Ahmed Bachhar, along with others, filed the petition against the PECA Act 2025 through Advocate Azhar Siddique. The petition has named the provincial government, the Chief Secretary, and others as respondents.
The petition argues that the PECA Amendment Act violates Article 19-A of the Constitution. It states that the Act does not define "fake news," allowing authorities to label any news as fake and take action on political grounds.
According to the petition, the amended Act requires journalists to disclose their news sources, which is a violation of journalistic ethics. The petition requests the court to declare the PECA Amendment Act unconstitutional and annul it. Additionally, it urges the court to halt any actions under the Act until a final decision is made.
Earlier, a division bench of the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday sought more arguments on the admissibility of a petition against the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Amendment Act (Peca), while another petition was filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the legislation.
The SHC bench, led by Chief Justice Muhammad Shafi Siddiqui, took up the petition against Peca amendments. Barrister Ali Tahir, the lawyer for the petitioner, informed the bench that they had challenged sections 2R and 26A of Peca.
The lawyer said that the Section 26A criminalised the transmission and receipt of information by declaring it "false and fake". He added that sections G and H of the act used the words "false, fake and misrepresentation" in a very vague manner.
Previously a petition was filed in the Supreme Court of Pakistan challenging the recent amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), citing concerns over their impact on freedom of speech and human rights.
The plea, moved by citizen Filed by Muhammad Qayum Khan, urged the apex court to strike down the amendments, calling them "ultra vires" to the constitutional authority of the legislature.
The petition also seeks a full court review of both the recent changes and the original PECA law, arguing that they violate fundamental freedoms.
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