Journalists protest controversial PECA Bill, urge govt not to gag freedom of speech

Journalists belong to various press clubs of the country, federal union of journalists and Punjab union of journalists staged protest demonstrations against controversial Prevention of Electronic Crimes ACT (PECA) Amendment Bill, 2025 and termed it against the freedom of speech, reported 24NewsHDTV channel. 

The Senate on Tuesday passed the PECA Amendment Bill 2025 with a majority amid noisy protests by the opposition and a boycott by the journalists, who walked out of the Press Gallery to register their protest. 

Journalists staged protest demonstrations and rallies outside Lahore Press Club, National Press Club Islamabad, Karachi Press Club, Sukkur Press Club and others regional clubs to register their concerns over the passage of the controversial bill. 

Members, belonging to the opposition, also participated in the protest by chanting, “It is a black law and it is not acceptable”. 

Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists held rally which began from National Press Club Islamabad and ended at China Chowk to protest against the bill. The participants of the rally chanted slogan against the amendments by labelling the new bill as choking of journalism in the country. 

On the call of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Sukkur Union of Journalists also staged a protest against the PECA Bill in front of Sukkur Press Club. 

During the protest, journalists said PECA Ordinance was aimed at silencing journalists, social media users and those raising voices on public issues at social media platforms. They added that such laws were being introduced to gag freedom of speech. They said government was afraid of criticism. The journalists urged the government to take back controversial law otherwise their protests will continue.