Provinces made party to case against PECA amendments

Justice Inam Amin Minhas of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday heard multiple petitions seeking the annulment of the controversial Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) Amendment Act 2025.

The petitions were filed by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), prominent TV anchors, and the Islamabad High Court (IHC) Journalists Association.

The federal government has submitted its written response to the court.

A government lawyer stated that provincial governments have also been made respondents in the case. Lawyer Imran Shafiq told the court that an initial objection raised by the Registrar’s Office had been resolved.

During the hearing, IHC directed the petitioners’ lawyers to begin presenting their arguments. PFUJ counsel Dr Yasir Aman Khan opened the arguments by giving historical context as the judge asked to first provide the background so the court can understand the case.

Read: Back to the cave: Where does PECA take us?

"The PECA Act was introduced in 2016," said Dr Yasir, adding that the 2025 Amendment removed several provisions from the original act and added new ones.

He noted that the amendment also establishes a Social Media Complaint Council, expanding the law's scope.

Justice Inam Amin Minhas instructed the petitioners to clarify the changes in the Code of Conduct, highlighting what it previously entailed and what has now been altered.

PECA amendment

Earlier this year, the National Assembly passed a set of amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) under a supplementary agenda, significantly expanding the government’s authority to regulate online content and penalise digital offences.

PECA (Amendment) Act 2025 included provisions for the formation of a Digital Rights Protection Authority (DRPA), which will be empowered to remove online content, restrict access to prohibited material, and impose penalties on individuals who share such content.

The amendments also broadened the definition of “social media platforms” to encompass tools and software used to access these platforms.

The revised law now extends its jurisdiction to include websites, applications and various communication channels. As part of the legislative changes, the FIA Cybercrime Wing is to be disbanded and replaced with a stricter framework of enforcement.
Under the new rules, individuals sharing expunged material from parliamentary or provincial assemblies on social media could face imprisonment of up to three years along with a fine of Rs2 million.