PECA Amendment Act 2025 challenged in Lahore High Court

The PECA Amendment Act 2025 – which was recently approved by both the National Assembly and Senate – has been met with a legal challenge in the Lahore High Court.

The petition was filed by journalist Jafar Bin Yar on Wednesday – through his lawyer Nadeem Sarwar – included the federal government, PTA, and other relevant parties as respondents.

He argued that the amendments—especially those related to “fake news” penalties—are a threat to the constitutional right to free speech.

The petition also stated that the newly passed amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) undermine the constitutional right to freedom of expression.

It contended that the PECA Amendment Bill, which was passed in the National Assembly last week, was introduced without proper consultation with key stakeholders, including journalist organisations.