Pakistan Tehreek-e-insaf (PTI), as well as civil society and journalistic organizations, have challenged the law of 2025 from PECA to the High Court of Lahore.
The head of the opposition of the Punjab assembly, Ahmed Bachhar, as well as others, deposited the petition against the law of the PECA 2025 through the Siddic Azhar lawyer. The petition has appointed the provincial government, the chief secretary and others as respondent.
The petition argues that the law on the modification of the PECA violates article 19-a of the Constitution. He indicates that the law does not define the “false news”, allowing authorities to label any new as well as false and to take measures for political reasons.
According to the petition, the modified law obliges journalists to disclose their sources of information, which constitutes a violation of journalistic ethics. The petition asks the court to declare the law on the modification of the unconstitutional PECA and to cancel it. In addition, he urges the court to interrupt any action under the law until a final decision is taken.
Earlier, a division of the High Court of the Sindh (SHC) asked on Friday more arguments on the admissibility of a request against the law on the prevention of electronic crimes (PECA), while another request has been deposited before the High Court of Islamabad (CIC) against legislation.
The SHC bench, led by chief judge Muhammad Shafi Siddiqui, resumed the petition against the amendments of Peca. Lawyer Ali Tahir, the petitioner’s lawyer, informed the bench that they had challenged articles 2R and 26a of Peca.
The lawyer said that article 26a criminalized the transmission and reception of information by declaring it “false and false”. He added that the G and H sections of the act used the words “false, false and false” in a very vague way.
Previously, a petition had been deposited at the Supreme Court of Pakistan contesting the recent amendments to the Act on the Prevention of 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.
