ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formed a committee comprising representatives of allied parties to review amendments to Pakistan’s electronic crimes law, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said on Tuesday, highlighting that the federal government wanted to form political consensus before making changes to the law.
The government says amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016 are aimed at protecting the digital rights of millions of Pakistani users, encouraging responsible Internet use and regulating online content to prevent hate speech and disinformation. Critics say the amendments, like PECA itself, could be used to stifle dissent and free speech. In the past, PECA has been used against critics of Pakistan’s all powerful army as well as governments and cases under the blasphemy law among others have also been filed using the legislation.
Earlier this month, the government notified a new National Cybercrimes Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to probe electronic crimes, which digital rights activists described as yet another attempt to stifle online criticism of the state. The NCCIA was approved by the caretaker government-led federal cabinet last year to take over cybercrime investigations from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
Addressing the media on Tuesday, the law minister said the draft legislation has been sent to the federal cabinet for approval after being drafted by the IT ministry according to Article 19, which deals mainly with freedom of speech.
“Despite this, the PM was of the view that a political consensus was necessary for legislation, the cabinet also agreed to the premier’s view,” Tarar said.
“Now he has formed a committee in this regard which will include allied parties including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q), Istehham-i-Pakistan Party (IPP).”
The law minister said allied party representatives would examine the draft legislation and report feedback to the federal cabinet which would then take a final decision.
PECA
PECA was passed in 2016 during the government of Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) party, which is once more in power and leading a fragile coalition at the center.
The law was originally enacted to combat various forms of cybercrime, including cyber terrorism, unauthorized access, electronic fraud and online harassment.
But the law has variously been used to crackdown on journalists, bloggers and other critics of the state.
The popular social media platform X has been blocked in the country since February when Pakistan held general elections marred by widespread allegations of manipulation and rigging.
