In a move that has sparked nationwide protests, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari approved the amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016 on Wednesday, defying widespread opposition from media organizations and journalists.
The President’s approval came just 24 hours after the Senate pushed through the modifications, prompting immediate attention from media professionals across the country. The legislation has drawn criticism from the journalism community, who denounce it as a direct assault on press freedom.
The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has condemned the hurried manner in which the bill was passed through parliament. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), facing accusations of double standards for backing the legislation, has suggested potential revisions to address the concerns.
The newly enacted cybercrime legislation introduces Section 26(A) to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, establishing severe penalties for sharing “fake news” in digital spaces. Under these provisions, anyone found guilty of deliberately spreading, showing, or transmitting false information that could incite fear, panic, or social instability faces potential imprisonment of up to three years and fines reaching Rs. 2 million, or both.
These controversial amendments have also drawn criticism from human rights organizations, with Amnesty International, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, and digital rights advocates expressing serious reservations. Despite these concerns, the presidency confirmed today that President Zardari has formally approved not only the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Bill, 2025 but also the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill and National Commission on the Status of Women (Amendment) Bill.