President Asif Ali Zardari assented to the much-debated changes to the country’s cybercrime laws on Wednesday despite calls by journalists and media bodies to not sign off on the law.
The development comes a day after the Senate passed amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) 2016, triggering protests across the country by media workers.
Journalists have assailed the legislation as an “attack on freedom of expression”, while the opposition PTI has also vociferously protested the legislation’s rushed passage in the parliament. The PPP, accused by the opposition of hypocrisy for supporting the bill, has hinted at further tweaks to address journalists’ concerns.
The new amendments add Section 26(A) to Peca, which seeks to penalise perpetrators of “fake news” online. It says anyone who intentionally spreads, displays, or transmits false information likely to cause fear, panic, or unrest in society may face up to three years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to Rs2 million, or both.
Concerns have also been raised by Amnesty International, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and digital rights activists.
A press release from the presidency issued today said Zardari signed off on the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Bill, 2025, as well as the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill and National Commission on the Status of Women (Amendment) Bill.
The development comes after the Parliamentary Reporters’ Association (PRA) claimed earlier today that President Zardari had accepted the group’s request, which was conveyed by senior politician Maulana Fazlur Rehman, to not sign the law.
“The president, at the request of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, has halted the bill for some time till PRA Pakistan sends its suggestions,” the statement said.
As per the Constitution, the president can return the bill once to the parliament but when sent to him again, assent will be deemed as granted even if he does not sign it within ten days.
According to the statement, a delegation of the PRA met with Fazl, chief of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Fazl (JUI-F), following which the seasoned politician contacted the president.
The PRA said Fazl expressed his complete solidarity with the association on their reservations against the Peca bill’s “approval without consultations”. The JUI-F supremo relayed the concerns voiced by the PRA delegation and its president Usman Khan, the press release added.
Fazl strongly urged President Zardari not to immediately sign the Peca amendment bill, highlighting that “journalists across the country have objected to certain sections of it” and calling for those concerns to be alleviated.
The PRA statement further said the president had assured the JUI-F leader of “full cooperation”. It claimed that Zardari also promised the association that consultations would be held between the PRA and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.