Peca tweaks spark protests by media fraternity, opposition across country

#Peca #tweaks #spark #protests #media #fraternity #opposition #country

Media Brothers and Opposition parties staged a nationwide protest against the “controversial” prevention of Electronic Crimes (PECA) (Amendment) Bill 2025, which a few days ago after its approval in the National Assembly on Tuesday. Was left.

According to the government, misinformation on social media platforms and those involved in fake news is to tighten the tightening of businesses.

During today’s meeting, the upper house approved the uproar between the opposition benches, the upper house (amendment) bill 2025 and the digital nationality Pakistan Bill 2024.

The bodies of opposition parties and journalists have joined a nationwide protest against the controversial adherence to PECA law, which explained more than “controversial” in many legal aspects, including the term “fake news”. The decline “has been announced. Media workers fear that the amended law will also be used to target them and will affect the freedom press.

In addition, the media brotherly expressed his anger at the government to approve the amendment without consulting or bringing them into confidence.

Since demonstrations were held in all major cities of the country, a large number of journalists, lawyers, and civil society members participated in the mob organized by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) outside the National Press Club in Islamabad. –

Demonstrators, led by Journalist President Afzal Butt and NPC President Azhar Jatvi, began marching towards D Chowk to record their protests against the PECA Amendment Bill.

Journalists were seen wearing chains as a symbol of protests and shouted slogans against the PECA Act in the rally.

After the protesters arrived, the protest rally was turned into a raid. Addressing the participants, the president of the PFUJ made it clear that he was not against the rules, however, no one would be allowed to attack the freedom of expression in the country.

Heavy police force was deployed to ATD Chowk to try to stop the movement of the protesters, and barbed wire was installed.

Several journalists were injured after trying to remove the barbed wire as they refused obstacles to continue the rally of the policemen.

Some policemen also tried to arrest the PFUJ president after preventing the rally from going to a limited red zone.

Another demonstration was held outside the Lahore Press Club, which was held by Punjab Assembly Malik Ahmed Khan Bhachar and Jamaat -e -Islami (JI) Secretary Information Qaiser Sharif, a Pakistan Tehreek Justice (PTI) leader and leader of the opposition. Address

The opposition called on the Treasury Bench to contact all stakeholders on the controversial act, including steps to take journalists into confidence, Bhartar said. He claimed that the present government did not have a mandate to make decisions, adding that the PECA Act proved that the current setup was “not a democratic government”.

JI leader Sharif announced his support for the journalist community against controversial law.

In Karachi, journalists, lawyers and civil society members organized a joint protest, which rejected the amended law and called the attack to silence freedom of expression.

Addressing a rally, senior journalist Mazhar Abbas said: “This is the beginning of a historic struggle against civilian martial law as the first attack took place on the judiciary and the second on the media.”

Expressing grief over PECA occasions, he claimed that digital media had been targeted since 2016 and said to the rulers saying: “Fake news is not a problem but the original The problem is reporting news. “

Abbas added that some state elements want to control journalism and warn stakeholders not to compromise on new adaptations, “Otherwise, everyone will be controlled”.

The senior journalist believed that if the government was serious about forming new rules, then it would have to be unanimously approved. [of all stakeholders].

During the protest outside the Karachi Press Club, journalists chanted slogans of “No To Packa Act”. Former KPC President Saeed Sarabzi announced that the media will continue to hold rallies and hunger strikes until the return of the controversial law.

Several prominent journalists and anchors also condemned the amendment of the PECA, and claimed it against democratic principles and described these amendments as a move of silence.

“It is a shame for all the politicians who approved the Black Law #PCA Amendment Bill and the opposition who supported it in the Senate Standing Committee and made speeches against it only publicly. Will eliminate and create a parallel judicial system that violates a fair case.

“Will @Practiceopakistan also sign it?” Senior journalist Afia Salam inquired on the X and added: “#PCA Amendment was approved!

Salam said, “By removing all the concerns expressed by journalists and digital rights activists? I will not stop my breath! Journalists should give a list of people who said, and refuse them.”

The approval of the amendment of #PCA rules without any debate has once again exposed our so -called Democrats.

Aamir Zia said, “There is a terrorist strike on Packa #Fredromofoculation. He said:” Approval of #PCA rules without any debate has once again exposed our so -called Democrats. PMLN has a history of suppressing #Permfradom. PPP, MQM and the rest. Now all are the same. Band wagon. “

Geo News journalist Shah Zadar Iqbal renamed an X post of the Anchor Association of Pakistan, stating: “The Pakistani government’s freedom of expression through the controversial PECA Act, working journalists. The current move to silence when governments are the right to disagree.

“The government did not consult any stakeholders and blocked the law through parliament without any debate,” Osama Khalji, director of the civil society organization, criticized in an X post.