PFUJ challenges PECA in Islamabad High Court
Pakistan
It argued that PECA law is unconstitutional, illegal, and a direct attack on press freedom.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court challenging the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) amendment act 2025.
PFUJ President Afzal Butt, through Advocate Imran Shafiq, submitted the petition, arguing that the amended PECA law is unconstitutional, illegal, and a direct attack on press freedom.
The petition stated that the PECA Amendment Act 2025 imposed unconstitutional restrictions on free speech and increased government control over the media. The PFUJ has requested the court to suspend the implementation of the controversial law.
According to the petition, the amendment violated Articles 19 and 19A of the Constitution, which guaranteed freedom of speech and access to information.
It argued that the law granted excessive censorship powers to the government, criminalised fake news without due legal process, and was a serious violation of digital and human rights in Pakistan. The petition further stated that PECA’s regulatory authority lacked constitutional legitimacy.
