MQM-P urges govt to withdraw PECA ordinance

KARACHI: The PTI-led government’s key ally MQM-P Wednesday demanded of Prime Minister Imran Khan to withdraw the recently promulgated Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act ordinance 2022.

In a letter to PM Imran, MQM-P senior leader and Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Syed Aminul Haq said that the media community across the board is deeply concerned and restless about the latest amendments to the PECA ordinance.

He maintained that the party will not support the laws against fundamental rights at any cost.

“The announcement of the amendments has drawn widespread condemnation and ire of media bodies and the journalistic community as a whole,” he wrote.

Urging the prime minister to review or withdraw the ordinance at the earliest, Haq said that it is only through dialogue and deliberation that media practitioners and the government can establish procedures to curtail fake news.

Drawing PM Imran’s attention towards media bodies and journalists’ resistance, the minister urged the premier to pay heed to the unanimous voice of protest against the PECA amendments and launch a consultative process with the civil society as well as the media community at the earliest.

Conveying the media bodies' concerns, he wrote that the amendments were drafted without consultation with the relevant stakeholders.

“It is through the media that a government is able to project its image to the public. By pushing forward with these amendments without consulting the relevant stakeholders, in this case, media practitioners, the government will stoke anger and resentment within the journalistic community,” he wrote.