Senate standing committee okays PECA despite opposition

The Senate standing committee has approved the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).Senator Faisal Saleem chaired the standing committee session, which gave assent to the amended bill.Journalist organizations objected to some of the provisions of the law. In response the committee head questioned their failure to highlight objections to the law in writing.Journalists say they are also victims of fake news but certain clauses in the bill are unacceptable.Senator Irfan Siddiqui said anyone could be handcuffed without any law in the country and he himself faced a tough situation in a case.Kamran Murtaza also opposed the bill.The interior secretary said the law was meant for protecting people and it should be approved in this very form.NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PASSES PECA 2025A few days ago, the National Assembly passed the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Bill 2025, also known as PECA bill, with a majority vote.The amendment bill was approved within minutes after Federal Minister for Industries and Production Rana Tanveer Hussain presented it as the opposition parties had already staged a walkout.Journalists also staged a walkout from the press gallery in protest against the bill’s passage.The bill aims to regulate social media and online content in the country.WHAT’S THE BILLAccording to the bill, a new authority called the Digital Rights Protection Authority (DRPA) will be established to regulate online content and protect users’ digital rights.The DRPA will have the power to remove online content, block access to prohibited or obscene material, and take action against individuals who share such content.The bill also defines social media platforms and includes websites, applications, and communication channels. The DRPA will be responsible for promoting digital literacy, research, and social media platforms and ensuring users’ online safety and security.The authority will also be able to register social media platforms and set conditions for their operation in Pakistan.The bill also introduces new penalties for spreading false information online, including a three-year prison sentence and a Rs2 million fine.A Social Media Protection Tribunal will be established to hear cases related to online content. The tribunal will be required to dispose of cases within 90 days.The bill also provides for establishing a National Cyber ​​Crime Investigation Agency to investigate cybercrime cases.