Bilawal Bhutto defends amended PECA law

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari stated that the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) law is not an ideal law, but it is significantly better than the initial version that was proposed.

Speaking at Oxford University, he explained that the law had been improved after consultations, mentioning that the original draft included harsh penalties, such as a 30-year sentence for a single social media post.

Bilawal reiterated that the PPP had played a role in improving the PECA law, ensuring that it did not undermine democracy. He also defended the 26th Constitutional Amendment, noting that while it had been modified from its original form, it still played a crucial role in strengthening democracy. He explained that the changes to the amendment were made after consulting with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI).

Addressing concerns over freedom of speech, Bilawal emphasised that Pakistan's democracy remains fragile and called for abandoning the desire to control every tweet, post, and headline. He stressed that the media, including social media, cannot be controlled and should remain free from undue influence.

A month ago, President Asif Ali Zardari gave his assent to the controversial amendments to the country's cybercrime laws, despite calls from journalists and media organisations to put the brakes on the bill.

The move came a day after the Senate pushed through the PECA 2016 amendments sparking nationwide protests from media workers who claimed the law was a gag order in disguise.

A press release issued by the Presidency confirmed that Zardari signed the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Bill, 2025, along with the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill and the National Commission on the Status of Women (Amendment) Bill.

Earlier, a consultative meeting held under the auspices of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) on Monday demanded annulment of the recent amendments made to the country's cybercrime law PECA, 2016.

The meeting titled "Media Under Threat: Challenges Faced by Media Personnel Post-PECA (Amendment) Act, 2025" was organized at the SCBA head office.

What is PECA?

The Pakistani government is strengthening the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) with new amendments to tackle fake news and unlawful online content. The proposed Electronic Crimes Prevention (Amendment) Act 2025 introduces severe penalties, including up to three years in prison and fines of Rs2 million for spreading disinformation.

A key provision is the establishment of a Digital Rights Protection Authority (DRPA) tasked with regulating social media platforms and removing unlawful content.

The DRPA will have powers to investigate complaints, remove content, and enforce digital ethics. The amendments also redefine social media platforms and mandate compliance from social media companies, which may require registering and appointing local representatives.

While supporters believe the amendments are essential to combat fake news and hate speech, critics warn of potential censorship and misuse.

Chaired by the SCBA President Rauf Atta, the session was attended by members of the bar as well as senior journalists and media personne