On January 31, the Lahore High Court (LHC) rejected a request for the immediate suspension of the implementation of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act 2025 (PECA). While issuing notices to the concerned parties and requesting their response within three weeks, the court said that they would make a decision after hearing the arguments of all parties.

The hearing of the petition, filed by Lahore Press Club member Jafar Bin Yar through his counsel, Advocate Nadeem Sarwar, on January 29, was presided by Justice Farooq Haider. The plea named the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Ministry of Law, Cabinet Division, and the Ministry of Information Technology & Telecommunication as respondents.

The petitioner argued that the approval of the PECA amendments was “fast-tracked” by the National Assembly, skipping past necessary scrutiny. The plea contended that sections 2R(h), 2R(2), and 2(V) violated fundamental constitutional rights.

Additionally, the petition raised concerns over section 26A, which penalizes the dissemination of “false and fake information.” It argued that this section fails the principle of proportionality. The petitioner urged the court to declare the provisions “unconstitutional” as they were inconsistent with articles of the Constitution.