PAKISTAN:
PPP president Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the initial project of recent amendments to Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) was very strict, but his party suggested many changes to dilute it, express express information.
In an interview after addressing the Oxford Union, the president of the PPP said that the PPP had always been against the initial PECA law project, adding that former Prime Minister Imran Khan was the first to try such severe legislation.
The government has strengthened the PECA with new amendments to combat false news and illegal online content. The 2025 law proposed on the prevention of electronic crimes (amendment) has introduced severe sanctions, including up to three years in prison and RS2 million fines for the distribution of disinformation.
Bilawal said that the PECA law was not an ideal law, but it was much better than the initial version proposed. He added that the law had been improved after consultations. He said the original project included even more severe sanctions, such as a 30 -year sentence.
“The original PECA project has been very hard. Many amendments have been brought to law only due to the hard work and PPP efforts,” he said. He recognized that “Pakistan is facing various challenges, because democracy is not strong in Pakistan,” he added.
He reiterated that the PPP played a role in improving the PECA law and that it has not undermined democracy. He also defended the 26th constitutional amendment, noting that although he was modified from his original form, he still played a crucial role in strengthening democracy.
