President Zardari assents to Peca amendment law despite journalists’ calls to desist – Pakistan

President Asif Ali Zardari settled to the weakened changes to the country’s cyber crime laws on Wednesday despite the calls of journalists and media organizations so as not to sign the law.

Development occurs a day after the Senate approved amendments to the Law on the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (PCA) 2016, which causes protests throughout the country by media workers.

Journalists have assaulted legislation as an “attack on freedom of expression”, while the PTI opposition has also vociferantly protested the hurried passage of legislation in Parliament. The PPP, accused of the opposition of hypocrisy for supporting the bill, has hinted more adjustments to address journalists’ concerns.

Amnesty International has also raised concerns, the Pakistan Human Rights Commission and digital rights activists.

A press release from the presidency issued today said that Zardari signed the bill for the prevention of electronic crime (amendment), 2025, as well as the Pakistan bill of the Digital Nation, 2024.

The development occurs after the Association of Parliamentary Reporters (PRA) said today that President Zardari had accepted the group’s request, which was transmitted by the main policy Maulana Fazlur Rehman, not to sign the law.

“The president, at the request of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, has arrested the bill for some time until Pra Pakistan sends his suggestions,” said the statement.

According to the Constitution, the President can return the bill once to Parliament, but when he is sent again, the assent will be considered as granted even if he does not sign it within ten days.

According to the statement, a PRA delegation met yesterday with Fazl, head of the Jamiat Ulema-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), after which the experienced politician contacted the president.

The PRA said that Fazl expressed its total solidarity with the association in its reserves against the “approval without consultations” of the Frek bill. The Supreme Jui-F transmitted the concerns expressed by the PRA delegation and its president Usman Khan, the press release added.

Fazl firmly urged President Zardari not to immediately sign the project of the amendment of the Peca, highlighting that “journalists from all over the country have opposed certain sections of the same” and asking those concerns to be relieved.

PRA’s statement also said that the president had assured the JUI-F leader of “total cooperation.” He said that Zardari also promised the association that the consultations will be carried out between the PRA and the Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi.



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