PECA Amendment Act 2025 challenged in LHC

Lahore: The PECA Amendment Act 2025 has been challenged in the Lahore High Court (LHC). The petitioner Lahore Press Club (LPC) member Jafar Bin Yar filed a petition through his lawyer. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), and others have been made parties in the petition.

The petitioner has submitted that last week the National Assembly passed the PECA Amendment Bill. The Assembly suspended its rules for the approval of the PECA Bill and fast-tracked it. Under the PECA Amendment Act, fake information will be punished with three years in prison and a fine.

Jafar Bin Yar has taken the position that in the past, PECA has been used as a silent weapon. The addition of new punishments in the PECA Amendment Act will also end the little freedom left in the country. The PECA Bill was brought without consulting the relevant stakeholders and journalistic organizations.

The petitioner has also said that the approval of the PECA Amendment Bill will severely affect the freedom of expression guaranteed in the Constitution. The Act is unconstitutional and contradicts the protection of freedom of expression guaranteed in the Constitution.

Journalist Jafar has requested that the court declare the PECA Amendment Act unconstitutional and declare it null and void and that the court make the actions taken under the PECA Amendment Act subject to the final decision of the petition.