PESHAWAR: The federal government has decided not to withdraw the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) amendment, claiming that steps will be taken to curb the misuse of the law.
Attorney General of Pakistan Khalid Javed Khan told Urdu news “PECA Ordinance is not being withdrawn but steps will be taken to prevent its misuse by devising provisions and SOPs of the law.” He clarified that the provisions and SOPs will be included without amendment as there is scope for this in the law. He said that these SOPs will be presented to the Islamabad High Court on Thursday.
Read more:
PFUJ challenges “draconian” PECA ordinance in IHC
PPP leader vows to challenge PECA ordinance
MQM seeks withdrawal of PECA Amendment Ordinance
Earlier, Federal Minister for Information Technology and senior leader of Mutahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Syed Aminul Haq on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Imran Khan to withdraw the “controversial” Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) amendment ordinance. In a letter, the leader of the ruling coalition party said that the ordinance has been issued without taking the stakeholders into confidence.
The Islamabad High Court has restrained the Federal Investigation Agency from making arrests under Section 20 of the PECA Act. The court issued notice to Attorney General for assistance on the petition, challenging the ordinance and adjourned the hearing of the case till tomorrow [Thursday]. Chief Justice IHC Justice Athar Minallah heard the petition filed by PFUJ against the amendment. During the hearing, PFUJ’s lawyer Qazi Adil argued that the law was amended through ordinance ignoring the parliament.
Digital rights activist Nighat Dad said, “It has always been the attitude of the government that a wrong law is brought through an ordinance and when it is challenged in court, the government start claiming that its misuse will be stopped. Dad said that the problem is usually solved when the ordinance is withdrawn. Nighat Dad demanded that if the government is serious to stop the misuse of the law, the government has to withdraw it.