Senate passes PECA, Digital Nation bills amid uproar by opposition, walkout by journalists
Pakistan
The bills will be sent to President Asif Ali Zardari for presidential assent
PTI senators lodged their protest by gathering in front of Deputy Chairman Syedal Khan Nasir's dais
National Assembly passed PECA bill 2025 with majority vote a few days ago
The bill also introduces penalties including three-year prison sentence and Rs2 million fine
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Remaining impervious to criticism from journalists, human rights organisations and opposition benches, the Senate on Tuesday approved the controversial Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) Amendment Bill 2025 and the Digital Nation Bill 2025.
The bills, which kept the government and the opposition at daggers drawn for several days, were moved by Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and Federal Minister for Industries and Production Rana Tanveer Hussain on behalf of the interior minister, who is currently in the United States on a visit.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which is also an ally of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government in the center, also voted in favour of the bills. The PTI opposed the bills.
The PTI senators lodged their protest by gathering in front of Deputy Chairman Syedal Khan Nasir's dais. The opposition members raised slogans against approval of the PECA bill and tore its copies.
Journalists, on the other hand, staged walkout from the Press Gallery to register their protest.
The bills will be sent to President Asif Ali Zardari for presidential assent after which they will become law.
Speaking on the occasion, Rana Tanveer said the PECA bill was not applicable to TV or print media but it was meant to regulate digital and social media. He said PTI's Shibli Faraz had nearly accepted the bill.
Shibli Faraz said law-making was their prerogative but no law should be passed in haste. He said had the law been in favour of people, there would not have been any opposition to it. It should have been discussed threadbare, he said.
SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE NOD
A day earlier (Monday), the Senate standing committee approved the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). Senator Faisal Saleem chaired the standing committee session, which gave assent to the amended bill.
Journalist organisations 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 also are victims of fake news but certain clauses in the bill are unacceptable.
Read more: Jamaat-e-Islami opposes controversial PECA
Senator Irfan Siddiqui said anyone could be handcuffed without any law in the country and he himself faced a tough situation in a fake 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 2025
A 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 BILL
According 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.
Also read: PECA is a draconian law, says Barrister Ali Zafar
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Barrister Ali Zafar said that the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) is a draconian law and they will not accept it.
