The National Assembly on Thursday passed a controversial amendment bill to the country’s cybercrime laws amid the opposition’s walkout from the proceedings.
Last month, Dawn reported that the government was planning ‘wholesale’ changes to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 (Peca), which would see the formation of a new authority with powers to block online content and access to social media, as well as prosecute those propagating ‘fake news’. State minister for IT and Telecom Shaza Fatima Khawaja had confirmed the plan to “address concerns regarding misinformation”, saying that the amendments were under review.
As per Dawn’s report, the draft amendments proposed to add a new provision, Section 26(A), to Peca, so as to penalise perpetrators of “fake news” online. It stated that any person who “intentionally” posts any information “which he knows or has reason to believe to be false or fake and likely to cause or create a sense of fear, panic or disorder or unrest” shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to five years or with a fine which may extend to Rs1m or with both.
A later draft proposed a hike to seven years while the fine was raised to Rs2m.
The latest draft, seen by Dawn.com and titled “The Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Bill, 2025”, was tabled in the National Assembly today by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and referred to the standing committee.
The bill was passed in today’s NA session. Journalists staged a walkout from the press gallery in protest to the bill.
More to follow.
