Federal Minister of Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said that the government is ready to withdraw the controversial Pakistan Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Ordinance 2022 (PECA).
“The government has handed over the mandate to Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi. If the media Joint Action Committee (JAC) could get its proposal approved, the government would also accept the recommendations,” said Fawad on HUM News programme, ‘Breaking Point with Malick’.
“If the Joint Action Committee brings the draft in 90 days, they will amend the PECA Ordinance,” said Fawad.
On Tuesday, JAC members had called on Elahi at the assembly chambers to discuss their reservations regarding the PECA law.
Fully supporting the demands of the JAC, Elahi had demanded immediate withdrawal of the amendment to the PECA Ordinance, The News reported.
He said the PECA Ordinance is the government’s “selective treatment of the journalist community and the people of Pakistan”.
In February, PECA Ordinance was promulgated by President Arif Alvi. Talking exclusively to The Current, Fawad said, “A person who forwards fake news over WhatsApp can be fined and go to jail under the new law.”
Civil society, political collectives, journalists, and rights activists condemned the new PECA Ordinance.
Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah said that it seems like no one told the premier that there are laws for contempt other than PECA. “It seems like PM Khan was not assisted correctly over PECA Ordinance,” said Justice Minallah, adding that the law is used against critics here.
