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Senate approves PECA amendment bill amid journalists' walkout

The Senate approved the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (PECA) (Amendment) Bill 2025 and the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill 2024 on Tuesday, amid a walkout from journalists and protests from opposition members. The bill was presented by Minister for Industries and Production, Rana Tanveer Hussain, on behalf of Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. The PECA Act was already approved by the National Assembly and the Senate's Interior Committee earlier. A majority vote also passed the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill 2025. During the session, Defence and Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif discussed the revival of smaller airports, saying that Chitral’s airport is now operational. He also mentioned that Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) was improving, with flights resuming to smaller airports and new aircraft being procured. PIA's revival was acknowledged, and the government is working on opening new routes, including those to Chitral and northern regions. Senator Saifullah Abro raised concerns about PIA’s limited fleet and poor operations, highlighting the need for more aircraft and timely flight operations. In response, Khawaja Asif assured that PIA was recovering, with new routes and aircraft acquisitions in progress. The session also witnessed Senator Azam Nazir Tarar introduce the Migration Smuggling Amendment Bill 2025 and the Immigration Ordinance Amendment Bill 2025. Both bills were referred to the relevant standing committees. Later, Minister for Law Azam Nazir Tarar presented the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill 2025, which passed with a majority vote despite opposition protests. Opposition members, including Senator Shibli Faraz, expressed concerns over the lack of consultation on the bill and objected to how the proceedings were conducted. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) voted in favour of the bill. During the session, Senator Kamran Murtaza’s proposed amendments to several sections of the bill were rejected. The senator accused the government of infringing on provincial autonomy and concentrating power in Islamabad. Protests by Journalists over PECA bill Meanwhile, parliamentary journalists staged a walkout from the press gallery after Federal Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain moved the motion to present the Electronic Crimes Prevention (Amendment) Bill 2025, related to preventing electronic crimes, in the house. The Pakistan Radio Association (PRA) chanted slogans, calling the PECA Amendment Bill a "black law," and journalists left the press gallery in protest. On this occasion, PPP Senator Sherry Rehman came to the press lounge to show solidarity with the journalists. She stated, "We support the journalists' amendments. Stakeholders were not consulted on the PECA Act. "The bill was not discussed in the committee, and PPP does not support it. We will sit with the journalists and bring amendments to the PECA Bill. We are working towards the formation of a council in the PECA Bill. Bilawal Bhutto has stated that we stand with the journalists on this issue," she said. The Senate began the process of clause-by-clause approval of the PECA Act Amendment Bill 2025, while Senator Kamran Murtaza's motion for further amendments was rejected. The Senate then passed the PECA Act Amendment Bill 2025 with a majority vote. What is PECA? The Pakistani government is strengthening the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) with new amendments to tackle fake news and unlawful online content. The proposed Electronic Crimes Prevention (Amendment) Act 2025 introduces severe penalties, including up to three years in prison and fines of Rs2 million for spreading disinformation. A key provision is the establishment of a Digital Rights Protection Authority (DRPA) tasked with regulating social media platforms and removing unlawful content. The DRPA will have powers to investigate complaints, remove content, and enforce digital ethics. The amendments also redefine social media platforms and mandate compliance from social media companies, which may require registering and appointing local representatives. While supporters believe the amendments are essential to combat fake news and hate speech, critics warn of potential censorship and misuse.

from Pakistan News, Latest News Pakistan, Pakistan Headline | The Express Tribune https://ift.tt/gIhtMJa
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