Islamabad, February 25 (HS): Pakistani lawyers and journalists have opened a front against the government, demanding immediate repeal of the amendments made in the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). In the consultative meeting of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) convened on Monday, a call was made to immediately end the restrictions on independent journalism.

According to the News of the Dawn Newspaper, the resolution passed unanimously in the meeting emphasized that freedom of expression is the cornerstone of democracy. The journalists and lawyers present in the meeting condemned the PECA (Amendment) Act, 2025 and rejected it. It was considered a violation of Article 19 of the Constitution. This article guarantees the right to freedom of speech and expression.

The resolution states that the PECA (Amendment) Act, 2025 violates the rights of media personnel protected under Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) adopted by the United Nations.

The government has been reminded that Pakistan has also signed this treaty. This amendment also violates the principles of natural justice. Concern was expressed in the meeting over increasing censorship in digital areas.

On behalf of SCBA, its President Mian Mohammad Rauf Atta, Senior Vice President Mohammad Ishaq Notezai, Balochistan Vice President Mohammad Aurangzeb Khan, Acting Secretary Chaudhary Tanveer Akhtar, Finance Secretary Munir Ahmed Malik, Ayesha Malik, Hamood ur Rehman Awan, Balochistan Bar Council members Khalil Panezai and Hafiz Ahsan Khokhar attended the meeting.

On behalf of the media, Muniza Jahangir, Arshad Ansari, Afzal Butt, Zahid Hassan, Hamid Mir, Mazhar Abbas, Arifa Noor and others attended the meeting. It is noteworthy that petitions have been filed in the Sindh High Court challenging the recent amendments made in the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar