Senate approves ‘contentious’ amendment to Peca Act despite opposition

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ISLAMABAD: Amid protests by opposition benches, the Senate on Tuesday approved the prevention of Digital Nation Pakistan Bill 2024 along with Electronic Crimes (PECA) (Amendment) Bill 2025, both of which aimed at digital society. , Both the economy, the economy, and the purpose of both. Governance

The Pika Bill was presented by Federal Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain in the upper house of parliament.

Hussein said the PECA Bill was intended to deal with issues on social media. He assured that no directives have been directed against television and newspaper journalists.

The Minister said that the opposition is also busy on the bill through a platform of the Standing Committees of both the National Assembly and the Senate.

On the occasion of the PECA, the ANP’s Emal Wali said it was a stringent law because it had imposed sanctions on freedom of expression. He announced that he would leave the house with other members of his party and said, “This bill smells of shoes.”

On the other hand, journalists also left the Senate gallery as the bill was presented for approval.

Opposition leader Shobeli Faraz in the Senate said his job was to legislate, however, the law is being passed without consultation. “They should have consulted with people related to the PECA Amendment Bill.”

Joy-F-member Kamran Murtaza said that the report of the Standing Committee presented in the House was incomplete as his proposed amendment to the PECA Act was neither rejected nor accepted by the committee.

Hussein said that if something was missing in the bill, he would amend the journalists. “Which law is implemented in its true form and has not been misused?”

Faraz said the bill was not good because it did not include any stakeholder. So, he added, he did not bother him.

“Neither an organization has been formed nor the judges have been appointed for cases [under it]”He added.

PTI Barrister Ali Zafar worked for the government not to allow anyone to speak on the controversial bill. He added, “You don’t give any importance to the opposition.

The children rose from their seat, while members of the opposition gathered in front of the deputy chairman of the Senate.

Meanwhile, the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill presented by the Federal Minister for Law Prime Minister Nazir Tarar was also approved by clause.

The digital bill movement was approved, ignoring the opposition’s demand to speak.

In his remarks, Tarar said that the purpose of the bill was to digitalize the entire system so that they could be in accordance with the needs of the modern era.

Joy-F’s Murtaza proposed to amend the bill, saying the bill was interfering with the jurisdiction of the provinces. The proposed amendment was rejected after the Minister opposed the law.

Faraz joined the PTI senators, expressing his displeasure over the legislature as members of PTI and ANP protested before the chairman’s deposit.

Opposition leader said he was “bulldozing bills”.

On the bitter comment to Senator Flick Naz Chitli’s Senate secretary, the deputy chairman warned him that he would take action against him if he did not go back to his seat. To which, Chitrali said he was threatening him.

Black days

Afzal Butt, president of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), said it was a dark day for Pakistan’s democracy, media, citizens’ freedom and freedom of expression.

“This day will always be remembered as a black day and the parties who played their part in passing this black law, we will continue to remind them of it.

“We have already announced a protest with the PFUJ and the Joint Action Committee (JAC) and today they have forced us to protest even more,” he said.

Butt said he believes that Parliament will listen to him, so he wrote them letters and appealed to him to give him a chance to hear it because he is a stakeholder but he does not know that the government is able to talk about it. Why not get

“This is not a protest, but the beginning of the freedom movement, it will continue until the black law will be withdrawn,” he said.

“We have formed teams on both fronts, one will fight on the streets, and the other in front of the Parliament House and the Press Gallery. Our second war courts will have a constitutional war for which we are consulting with lawyers. Will challenge it and we will continue to resist until this black law is withdrawn.

He said that on the appeal of PFUJ, today (Tuesday), a black day is being observed in almost the whole country, which includes Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, Lahore and Islamabad.

“The demonstrations will start at 3pm and the last evening,” he said.

He added that today is just the beginning and he will announce the next process tomorrow (Wednesday), while the protest will take place on a daily basis.