Senate Interior Committee Approves Controversial PECA Amendment Bill Amidst Strong Opposition

Islamabad:The Senate Standing Committee on Interior has approved the controversial PECA (Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act) Amendment Bill, despite strong objections from senators and journalists’ organizations.*

The meeting, chaired by Senator Faisal Saleem, discussed the controversial bill that had already been passed by the National Assembly. Despite the opposition from media organizations and various senators, the committee approved the bill by a majority vote.

Senator Kamran Murtaza from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) criticized the hasty approval of the bill, arguing that it was impossible to fully understand the law and consult on it in such a short amount of time. He also pointed out the ambiguity in the definition of “fake news” and other flaws in the bill.

The Secretary of the Ministry of Interior briefed the committee, stating that the law aims to protect the public. He also mentioned that the government had made some amendments for better implementation of the law, which had already been approved by the National Assembly.

Senator Irfan Siddiqui, from the ruling party, agreed with the spirit of the bill but emphasized the importance of ensuring journalists’ protection. He suggested that consultation with journalists should have taken place before proceeding with the bill. He also raised concerns about fake news and shared his own experience of having fake articles published, despite filing complaints with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Committee Chairman Senator Faisal Saleem also shared his frustration with the prevalence of fake news, stating that if daily cases were filed against fake news, it would only result in legal fees for lawyers. He added that he, too, had been affected by fake news.

The approval of the PECA Amendment Bill is expected to stir further debate and controversy, particularly concerning its potential impact on press freedom and the media landscape in Pakistan.