Islamabad, May 5 (IANS) Press freedom in Pakistan is going through a tough phase as lawfare, enforced disappearances, online campaigns, harassment, and harsh financial tactics are being used against those trying to express opinions that are considered unfavourable to the power wielders, a recent report has stated. Social media has become a powerful medium to express views, empowering ordinary citizens in Pakistan. With access to the internet and increasing literacy, people are taking on the role…
Latest Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act News & Updates
Islamabad, May 4 (IANS) The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Monday expressed grave concern over the shrinking of civic space, the erosion of judicial independence, and deepening insecurity across the country over the past one year.In its latest report, ‘State of Human Rights in 2025′, the HRCP documented that in Pakistan, the right to freedom of expression — particularly to question authority and demand accountability — was significantly suppressed in 2025, with far-reaching …
Islamabad, May 4 (IANS) Media bodies and civil society organisations have voiced concern over increasing curbs on press freedom and growing risks to journalists in Pakistan, local media reported on Monday. In a joint statement released to mark the World Press Freedom Day, the Joint Action Committee — comprising the Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA), the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), the Association of Electronic Media Editors an…
Islamabad, May 2 (IANS) The Human Rights Council of Pakistan (HRC-Pakistan) on Saturday called on the Pakistani government and the relevant judicial authorities to immediately safeguard the legal rights of human rights lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha, warning that prolonged delay in their appeals could undermine the right to a free trial and rule of law.The remarks came after both Imaan and her husband, Hadi, on Thursday reportedly filed a petition in Pakistan’s Supreme Co…
Islamabad, April 30 (IANS) Human rights lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, on Thursday filed a petition in Pakistan’s Supreme Court, requesting an early hearing of their appeals against their conviction under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) in the social media posts case, local media reported. In the application filed in the Supreme Court, Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha have requested the grant of leave to appeal against the Islama…
Islamabad, April 29 (IANS) Highlighting that Pakistan faced losses due to the restrictions imposed in Islamabad last week as the local authorities hoped that dignitaries would arrive for the Iran-US talks which eventually did not take place, several experts reckon that the country must focus on its own problems which have increased due to the US-Iran war instead of government showing unity and speed on global issues. “As Iran-US talks hit another snag, we must ask if a state with its own problem…
Islamabad, April 27 (IANS) A local court in Pakistan has refused to approve the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency’s (NCCIA) request for the physical remand of journalist Fakharur Rehman and sent him to jail on judicial remand, local media reported on Monday. Rahman was arrested under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) on April 24. Rahman is one of the nine accused of disseminating “false and misleading information against state institutions” on social media platform X, …
Islamabad, April 23 (IANS) Persecution of minorities, misuse of blasphemy laws, violence against women and the forced return of Afghan refugees demonstrate Pakistan’s failure to protect vulnerable groups, local media has highlighted. An editorial in Pakistan’s leading daily Dawn cited Amnesty International’s latest report that has criticised the state of civil liberties in Pakistan. Amendments to Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) and anti-terror laws have increased censorship and detent…
Islamabad, March 18 (IANS) Pakistan’s habit to control media internally seems to be evolving into an effort to influence independent media in other parts of the world, a report has indicated highlighting Islamabad’s growing efforts to deliberately suppress independent, fact based reporting that exposes its internal contradictions, security failures, and political vulnerabilities. “Pakistan’s long running attempts to shape media narratives are no longer limited to its domestic press environment…
Ottawa, March 2 (IANS) The Canadian student who was arrested in Pakistan while conducting research for his dissertation has not been granted bail. Hamza Ahmed Khan’s brother, Awes Ahmed Khan, said that there was no reason to keep his brother in prison, local media reported. “There is no reason to keep him behind bars. It feels like the system wants to punish him before a trial. We’ve not slept properly in a week,” Canada’s leading media outlet CBC News quoted Awes as saying.Hamza Ahmed Khan, a d…