A petition was deposited before the Supreme Court of Pakistan contesting recent amendments to the Act respecting electronic crimes (PECA), citing concerns about their impact on freedom of expression and human rights.
The advocacy, moved by the citizens deposited by Muhammad Qayum Khan, urged the Supreme Court to eliminate the amendments, calling them “ultra vires” to the constitutional authority of the Legislative Assembly.
The petition also requests a complete examination of the court both recent changes and the original law of the PECA, arguing that they violate fundamental freedoms.
“In the national interest of peace and stability, it is humbly requested that a full bench examines the amendment and the existing law in the light of our fundamental right to express opinions and to share information in the company “, indicates the petition.
The petition warned that the expansion of PECA could lead to state censorship and targeted legal action against political opponents, journalists and activists.
It should be noted here that opposition parties, media organizations and civil rights groups have largely condemned the law, arguing that it limits freedom of expression and restricts digital rights.
With the consent of President Asif Ali Zardari, Peca’s modified law has now taken effect. The revised arrangements introduce more strict sanctions for the dissemination of “false” online information, reduce the sanction for disinformation to three years in prison and impose a fine of up to Rs2 million.
The changes also introduce several new regulatory organizations, including the Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority (SMPRA), the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) and the Social Media Protection Court.
Under new provisions:
- Any individual injured by false information can request the deletion of the content.
- Authorities must act within 24 hours to block or eliminate content.
- Social media platforms may be required to register and pay prescribed fees.
- A Council for Social Media Complaints will take care of public grievances.
- Special courts will resolve business within 90 days, with authorized calls for the Supreme Court within 60 days.
The new petition comes a few days after the law of the PECA amendment 2025 was challenged before the High Court of Lahore (LHC), with concerns raised on its impact on freedom of expression and the freedoms of the press.
A brief request challenged the bill on the modification of the PECA 2025, asking the court to declare several of its unconstitutional provisions to be incompatible with various articles of the Constitution of Pakistan, 1973.
The petition was deposited by Jaffar Bin Yar, member of the Lahore press club, by the member of the Lahore Press club, through his lawyer, the lawyer Nadeem Sarwar. The advocacy appoints the Pakistan Electoral Commission (ECP), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Ministry of Law, Division of the Cabinet and Ministry of Information and Telecommunications Technology as respondents.
The petition argues that the National Assembly accelerated the approval of the bill for modifying the PECA last week by suspending its own rules, bypassing the necessary control.
