Journalists continue to stage protests against Peca law for second day
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Members of Hyderabad Union of Journalists holding protest demonstration against recently passed amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2025, at Hyderabad Press Club on February 12, 2025. — PPI
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In response to a call from the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), journalists protested the second consecutive day against the Electronic Crime Prevention (Amendment) Act (PECA) on Thursday.
In an attack on media independence, journalists have filed various cases against it in the Apex Court and the High Courts.
“The PECA (Amendment) Act is unconstitutional and illegal, therefore, the court should take a judicial review,” the petition submitted by PFUJ in the states of the Islamabad High Court.
Journalists across the country have set up camps for protests against controversial PECA law and symbolic hunger strike, in which they highlight how the government is trying to stop freedom of expression through controversial law.
Balochistan Union of Journalists (BUJ) launched a symbolic hunger strike outside the Quetta Press Club to protest the newly enforced law.
“We will not accept the controversial PECA law at any cost. We will not allow any attempt to stop the freedom of expression.
Meanwhile, a Hunger Strike Camp, set up by the Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ), has also entered two days on a protest call by PFUJ across the country.
During the first two days of the three -day camp, human rights organizations, lawyers and civil society representatives, including representatives of civil society, attended the hunger strike camp. It says that the hunger strike camp will continue to raise its voice from 11am to 5pm daily.
“In the form of a PECA, a black law has been imposed on freedom of expression, which is the basic right of citizens,” Coj said.
On the demand of the PFUJ protest, the locking Chakrawal unit of the Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (Reg) also set up a hunger strike camp and also held rallies.
Participants of the protest chanted slogans against the PECA law.
What is the Packa law?
The ruling coalition has already approved the controversial amendments from both the National Assembly and the Senate in a short term in the controversial PECA law, in which opposition parties, journalists and media agencies decide its provisions with lack of consultation. What too
The law, which has now come after President Asif Ali Zardari’s approval, providing new definitions, establishing regulatory and investigative agencies, and a severe fine for spreading “false” information.
The new amendment reduced the punishment for spreading “fake information” online for three years, while the offender may also be fined up to Rs 2 million.
The new amendments have also proposed the establishment of the Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority (SMPRA), the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) and the establishment of a social media protection tribunal.
In addition, it states that anyone can approach the authority to remove or withhibit access to such information, and the authority will issue an order after 24 hours on request.
The latest changes also say that the authority may need any social media platform to pay for the form and such fees in any way, in any way, in any way, in any way.
In addition, a new amendment also proposed a social media complaint council’s constitution to obtain and act complaints made by the parties against any violation of cybercrime law. –
It also proposed the establishment of a social media protection tribunals, which will resolve the cases within 90 days, which will allow the Supreme Court to be allowed within 60 days.
