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IHC Clubs Journalists’ Petition with Pending Cases Against Controversial PECA Amendments
Journalists protest PECA amendments! IHC Acting CJ Justice Dogar merges IHCJA’s petition with other challenges to the law imposing harsher penalties for "fake news."
ND
by News Desk
2025-02-17
IHC Clubs Journalists’ Petition with Pending Cases Against Controversial PECA Amendments

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday clubbed a petition filed by the IHC Journalists Association (IHCJA) with other pending cases challenging the recently enacted amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2025.

The amendments, introduced last month, impose stricter penalties for disseminating "fake news," expand state oversight over digital platforms, and establish new regulatory bodies to monitor online content.

IHC Acting Chief Justice Justice Dogar, who took oath last week amid a boycott by fellow judges, ordered the petition's transfer to Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas, who is already hearing similar pleas.

The IHCJA’s petition, filed by President Hussain Ahmed Chaudhry and General Secretary Raja Shehzad, argues that the amendments violate constitutional rights, particularly freedom of expression. Advocate Mian Samiuddin, representing the journalists, urged the formation of a larger bench — a request now left to Justice Minhas's discretion.

“The amendments empower the government to appoint and dissolve the Social Media Protection Authority and Tribunal at will, stripping these bodies of any independence,” Samiuddin contended during the hearing.

Meanwhile, journalists nationwide continue their protests against the law, with hunger strike camps set up in major cities since February 12. Media groups, opposition parties, and international rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders, have condemned the amendments as an assault on free speech.

The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has vowed to maintain its agitation even if the government secures a favorable court ruling.
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