Petitions against PECA ordinance: PM informed PECA could be misused, says AGP

ISLAMABAD: The Attorney General of Pakistan Khalid Jawed Khan said on Thursday in the Islamabad High Court that he had informed the Prime Minister of Pakistan that the recently promulgated Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) could be misused, local media reported.

During the hearing, he said that the government has stopped implementation of section 20 of the PECA and has decided to consult all stakeholders in this regard. He said: “PECA amendment is a draconian law, if it comes into force in the present form,” adding, “Mainstream or print media is not required to regulate with this law.”

Hearing petitions against the PECA ordinance, the Chief Justice Islamabad High Court observed that the PECA ordinance could be withdrawn with the consultation of all stake holders.

The IHC has clubbed allthe petitions filed by the Pakistan Broadcasters Association(PBA), Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists(PFUJ), Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors(CPNE), other media bodies, and journalists.

Justice Minallah remarked that all the vloggers and politicians would be behind the bar given the current state of the ordinance. At which, the AGP stated that he had already clarified that the current form of the PECA ordinance would have draconian effects.