President Signs Controversial PECA Act Amendment Bill
After the President of Pakistan signed it, the PECA Act Amendment Bill 2025 became law.
Asif Ali Zardari has signed the controversial Prevention of Electronic Crimes (PECA) Act Amendment Bill 2025.
It should be noted that the National Assembly passed the PECA Act Amendment Bill on January 23, after which the bill was also passed by the Senate the previous day. Journalists also walked out of the proceedings of the Parliament against the PECA Act Amendment Bill.
What was in the PECA Act Amendment Bill?
The bill said that a Social Media Protection Regulatory Authority would be established, and the authority would facilitate social media platforms. And promote them, the authority would ensure online protection and rights of users on social media platforms.
Social Media Protection Regulatory Authority Pakistan will regulate illegal and inflammatory content accessible from., The authority will register social media platforms., The authority will register social media platforms. Or cancel. Or suspend.
The authority will block social media platforms in the country partially and completely, The authority will take action on any application,
The authority will impose a fine for violation, The authority will direct the relevant authorities to block or remove illegal and offensive content for thirty days, which can be extended for another thirty days.
A person affected by fake or incorrect information will apply to the authority to block or remove the information. The authority will decide on it within twenty-four hours,
The authority will have a chairman and 8 members, the secretary of the interior, the chairman of PTA, and PEMRA will be members of the authority, the chairman and members will be appointed for five years, and the age of the person should not exceed fifty-eight years.
The authority will have a registered journalist of the press club, a lawyer, a software engineer, a social media professional, and an IT professional as members.
The decisions of the authority will be by majority vote, the chairman will have the special power to block illegal content and take immediate action, however, the authority will validate it within 48 hours.
The authority will block or remove such content that is against the ideology of Pakistan, such content will be blocked. Which incites the public to violate the law, and take the law into their own hands, such content will be blocked.
Which aims to intimidate, terrorize, or coerce the public, individuals, groups, government officials, or institutions, such content will be blocked that incites the public to destroy government or private property, such content will be blocked and prevent the public from conducting their legal business by intimidating or affecting civic life.
Content that incites hatred or insults against religion, sect, race, or ethnicity, which may incite violence,
Content that contains obscene, pornographic content, content that is known to be fake or false,
Content that slanders members of the judiciary, armed forces, parliament, or provincial assemblies,
Content that encourages terrorism or incites violence against the state or its institutions, will also be blocked.
Information deleted by the Speaker of the Assembly or the Chairman of the Senate will not be published on social media,
Statements of banned organizations and their representatives will not be published on social media platforms,
Social media platforms will adopt a transparent and effective procedure to look into complaints, a Social Media Complaints Council will be formed,
In the event of non-compliance or violation of the instructions of the Authority, the Authority will approach the Tribunal, Social Media Protection Tribunals will be established.
The Social Media Protection Tribunal will have a High Court judge as the chairman, the tribunal will consist of journalists and software engineers,
The party affected by the Authority can approach the Tribunal, and the person affected by the Tribunal can approach the Supreme Court within 60 days.
Providing false or fake information can be punishable by imprisonment for up to three years, a fine of Rs. 2 million, or both. Whoever knowingly provides false or fake information that spreads fear, chaos, or anxiety among the public will be punished.
A National Cybercrimes Investigation Agency will be established for investigation, inquiry, and prosecution.
After the establishment of the National Cybercrimes Investigation Agency, the FIA ​​Cybercrimes Wing will be abolished.
