Only weather to be reported if Peca enforced, lawyer tells IHC

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) was informed on Tuesday that journalists would only be able to report weather if the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act (Peca), 2025, was enforced.

The development came during the hearing of the petition filed by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and media professionals against the newly-enacted law. Justice Inaam Amin Minhas presided over the hearing, with lawyer Imran Shafique and Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) President Riyasat Ali Azad presenting their arguments.

During the proceedings, Shafique argued that the Peca law was enacted in such haste that even the numbering of sections was incorrect. He pointed out that the law contained so many errors that the definition of the complainant had been given twice, contradicting itself.

He further said that the complaint authority established under Peca already existed under Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) laws. For his part, IHCBA President Azad contended that the law was in violation of Articles 19 and 19A of the Constitution.

Justice Minhas then asked: “What do you say? Should the publication of fake news be stopped or not? Fake news is indeed a problem.” In response, Azad said that journalists are often shown documents indicating corruption and are asked to report on them.

He emphasised that journalists never reveal their sources, and if Peca is enforced, journalists will be left reporting only on the weather. At this point, PFUJ President Afzal Butt said that it is not that journalists support fake news. “We are against unrestricted freedom, and we are also not opposed to rules and regulations. However, rules and regulations should not contradict constitutional and human rights.”

The petitioner requested the court to suspend the Peca law, while the petitioner’s lawyers repeatedly urged the court to halt its implementation. The court responded, saying: “If there is an issue, let us know, we are here. If you feel the need, you can file a miscellaneous application.”

The court later said that the next hearing date would be issued by the Registrar’s Office. The IHC also issued a notice to the attorney general for assistance.