Pakistan's Parliament Passes PECA Amendment Bill Amidst Media and Opposition Outcry
Click to start listening
Synopsis
On January 23, the National Assembly of Pakistan passed the PECA Amendment Bill 2025, facing significant opposition from the PTI and media groups who argue it restricts free speech. The bill introduces severe penalties for sharing false information, raising concerns over government censorship and the suppression of dissent.
Key Takeaways
- The PECA Amendment Bill was passed despite widespread protests.
- Critics argue the bill stifles free speech and dissent.
- Severe penalties are introduced for the dissemination of false news.
- The government defends the bill as a necessity for public safety.
- Media organizations have openly condemned the legislation.
Islamabad, Jan 23 (NationPress) The National Assembly of Pakistan enacted the contentious Prevention of Electronic Crimes (PECA) Amendment Bill 2025 on Thursday amidst significant protests from the primary opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the nation's media representatives.
The disputed legislation was introduced in Parliament on Wednesday by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and subsequently sent to the standing committee for evaluation. On Thursday afternoon, Federal Minister Rana Tanveer presented the bill in the National Assembly under a supplementary agenda.
According to the newly proposed PECA bill regulations, stringent measures will be imposed against anyone who shares, publicly displays, or disseminates any false or misleading news through any information system.
During the sessions, various political factions including PTI and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) opposed the bill and walked out in protest, labeling it as an 'open license' for the government to detain anyone who challenges it, even on social media.
'The PECA Act Amendment Bill imposes severe penalties on social media users who criticize the government. Is the government attempting to silence everyone in Pakistan and prevent any dissent? Are you planning to brand every activist as anti-state? It is evident that expressing opinions or criticizing the government is now impossible. This law will ultimately backfire on the government. We entirely reject it,' stated PTI's National Assembly member Zartaj Gul.
The lawmaker questioned the government's motives behind hastily pushing the bill through the legislative process.
'The bill was proposed yesterday and sent to the standing committee. And today, it was hurriedly passed through parliament without adequate briefing or clarification. This is not how a nation should function by silencing everyone,' she remarked.
Spokesperson and Information Advisor to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government, Barrister Saif also criticized the government for endorsing the PECA amendment bill.
'The grave they're digging for the media will eventually be their own. These new laws aim to eliminate media, judiciary, and political opposition,' he remarked.
The bill has also faced strong opposition from journalistic organizations, who walked out from the press gallery of the National Assembly on Thursday in protest of the bill's passage.
'The amendments are a calculated effort to stifle the media, social media, and the journalist community,' declared Afzal Butt, President of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ).
'The KUJ opposes any attempt to suppress freedom of expression under any circumstances and demands the immediate repeal of this draconian law,' stated a communiqué from the Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ).
According to Section 26(A) of the new PECA Act, anyone who intentionally disseminates or publicly exhibits any information they know or believe to be false or misleading, which could incite fear, panic, or disorder among the public, shall face a prison sentence of up to three years or a fine of up to Rs two million, or both.
The bill permits the creation of a Digital Rights Protection Authority (DRPA), which will have the authority to identify and remove any online content deemed as fake news or false propaganda and is considered illegal.
Despite the substantial backlash, the government asserts that the bill is essential for protecting the public from what it refers to as 'harmful and illegal' content.
The government characterized the issue as a matter of national security, emphasizing the need to monitor fake news, false propaganda, and the spread of misinformation/disinformation.
'This is a matter of national interest for Pakistan. False narratives are spread on social media targeting politicians, the armed forces, the judiciary, and other government officials. This is orchestrated by agents hired to foster hatred, intolerance, chaos, and unrest against our institutions and incite violence among the masses. This cannot be permitted and must be halted,' asserted Information Minister Atta Tarar.
'Every nation globally has policies regulating the media and the information disseminated. No country permits the propagation of fake news. We are following suit. The PECA ordinance is detrimental to all who spread misinformation and does not intend to suppress freedom of expression or the press,' he added.
