The federal government on Monday submitted its written comments to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against petitions challenging amendments in Prevention of Electronic Crime Act (PECA).
Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas heard the petitions filed by Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Anchor Association and Islamabad High Court Journalists Association (IHCJA) against PECA amendments. The petitioners have prayed the court to declare the amendments as null and void.
The public prosecutor told the court during the hearing that the provincial governments have also been made parties in the petition. Lawyer Imran Shafiq said that the Registrar’s Office raised an objection, which was addressed.
Later, the court directed the petitioner lawyers to present arguments, to which PFUJ lawyer Dr. Yasir Aman Khan began the arguments.
Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas inquired at the beginning of the hearing that you have to tell the code of conduct along with what was there before and where the difference came from? The court asked the lawyer to firstly tell about the background of the case.
PFUJ lawyer Dr. Yasir Aman Khan said that the PECA Act was brought in 2016. In the 2025 Amendment Act, some things of the 2016 Act were removed and some were added. The Social Media Complaints Council has also been included in the Amendment Act, he said.
The court, however, adjourned hearing of the case till next date wherein the lawyer’s argument would continue.
PFUJ president Afzal Butt, secretary general RIUJ Asif Bashir Chaudhry and others were present during the hearing.