ISLAMABAD: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has called for the complete repeal of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) (Amendment) Act 2025, terming it a serious threat to freedom of expression and civic rights.
In a report released on Wednesday, HRCP stated that the amended law contains “deeply problematic” provisions that criminalize vague terms such as “fake and false information,” with penalties of up to three years in prison. The report was presented at an advocacy meeting in Islamabad as part of an EU-funded initiative on civic freedoms.
Digital rights activist Farieha Aziz, who authored the report, criticized the law for establishing a complaints council, a regulatory authority, and a tribunal under significant executive influence. She warned that these bodies lacked independence and could be used to silence dissent.
“The law converts previously bailable, non-cognizable offences into non-bailable, cognizable ones,” Aziz said. “It expands the state’s power to act coercively, and replaces the FIA with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency—an entity that currently operates without adequate safeguards.”
Speaking at the event, journalist Adnan Rehmat emphasized the state’s responsibility to uphold free speech and proposed engagement with political parties to build consensus on decriminalizing speech. Saleem Shahid, another senior journalist, described the amended PECA as a violation of constitutional rights and urged a united front from civil society and the media.
Former BNP-M legislator Senator Jehanzeb Baloch underlined the centrality of freedom of expression to democratic governance, while HRCP co-chair Munizae Jahangir highlighted the hyper-regulation of digital spaces in regions like Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan.
She also condemned what she termed “economic terrorism,” referring to cases like that of journalist Asad Ali Toor, who revealed that his family’s bank accounts had been frozen allegedly in retaliation for his reporting.
Digital rights advocates Usama Khilji and Aftab Alam called for the formation of a national coalition to resist escalating restrictions on freedom of expression. Their call was echoed by HRCP Council member Farhatullah Babar, who stressed the importance of combating disinformation without curbing free speech.
Concluding the meeting, HRCP Islamabad Vice-Chair Nasreen Azhar proposed that the coalition should also review and identify all laws that conflict with constitutionally guaranteed fundamental rights.
