Senators pass controversial PECA Bill amid protests, boycott

The Senate on Tuesday passed the Prevention Electronic Crimes ACT (PECA) Amendment Bill, 2025 with a majority amid noisy protests by the opposition and a boycott by the journalists, who walked out of the Press Gallery to register their protest.Members, belonging to the opposition, also protested the passage of the bill by chanting, “It is a black law; therefore it is unacceptable”.The senators, belonging to the Awami National Party, staged a walkout.Aimal Wali Khan said that the purpose of the law was to stifle dissent by snatching from the people the freedom of expression.He went on to say that the media was not consulted on it. “We strongly oppose the bill.”Earlier, Federal Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain presented the bill.The National Assembly and the Senate’s Standing Committee have already unanimously passed the bill.