HRCP Calls for Open Senate Debate on PECA Amendments Amid Targeting of Political Workers, Journalists

HRCP Calls for Open Senate Debate on PECA Amendments Amid Targeting of Political Workers, Journalists

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has demanded PM Shehbaz Sharif’s government ensure it is that it is clear that the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act of 2025 was widely discussed in the Senate after the coalition government smashed it at the National Assembly.

The HRCP warned that the bill if it becomes law, could be used to harass the human rights of political workers, Human rights defenders, human rights activists, and journalists who criticize institutions of the state. The HRCP was concerned about the focus on “fake or false news” in Section 26-A of the bill while expressing regret for the bill’s inability to clarify the definition of “fake news clearly.”

The announcement comes after the lower house, on Thursday, passed the amendments that have been criticized as being unpopular to an already controversial law, prompting a fierce response from the opposition and the journalists’ fraternity.

The changes propose the establishment of the Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority (SMPRA), the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), and the Social Media Protection Tribunal -which will settle the cases in 90 days. Appeal hearings will be accepted by the SC within 60 days.

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The plan also aims to reduce the penalties for spreading “fake information” online to three years. Those who do not comply could be punished with fines of up to 2 million rupees.

If the bill becomes law, will the authority in question oblige any social media platform to join it in any manner and subject to the payment of a fee that can be imposed?

The three-year sentence is “excessive.” Today, the HRCP stated that the proposed law is a vague reference to outcomes such as general “fear, panic or disorder or unrest.”

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“[The] HRCP reminds the government that digital freedoms have already been over-regulated,” the human rights watchdog said in a blog post on X.

The statement also stated that it was alarming how appeals against the Social Media Protection Tribunal would be referred straight to the Supreme Court and that this tribunal would be composed of government-appointed members.

The watchdog also reminded the government of the excessive regulation of internet freedoms within the country.

In addition to the HRCP, The amendments also upset journalist organizations with those of the Joint Action Committee (JAC), which includes those from the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), Association Of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (AEMEND) as well as the Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) and announcing that they will present a petition to the court in opposition to the bill and begin an anti-government protest.

“The focus of this bill is not just social media, but also electronic and print media’s digital platforms, with the aim of criminalising dissenting opinions,” stated the JAC in the statement.