President Asif Ali Zardari signed the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Bill 2025 (PECA) into law on January 29 despite strong opposition from journalists and media bodies.

A press release from the presidency confirmed that along with PECA amendment bill, the president signed the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill and the National Commission on the Status of Women (Amendment) Bill.

The amendments, approved by the National Assembly and Senate, led to protests, with journalists and media bodies terming it an “attack on freedom of expression.” Political parties, including the opposition Pakistan Tehreek i Insaf, have also opposed the amendments.

Amongst the amendments, the PECA amendment introduces Section 26(A) to PECA 2016, making it a criminal offense to “intentionally disseminate, publicly exhibit, or transmit false information” that may create fear, panic, or unrest in society.

The section reads: “Whoever intentionally disseminates, publicly exhibits, or transmits any information through any information system, that he knows or has reason to believe to be false or fake and likely to cause or create a sense of fear, panic or disorder or unrest in general public or society shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend upto three years with fine which may extend to two million rupees or with both.”

The Parliamentary Reporters’ Association (PRA) had earlier said President Zardari had agreed to their request to delay signing the bill put before the president by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

“The president, at the request of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, has halted the bill for some time till PRA Pakistan sends its suggestions,” the PRA stated.

A delegation of PRA met with Maulana Fazl who then relayed their concerns to the president. The JUI-F chief reportedly expressed solidarity with the PRA and urged the president not to sign the amendments, stating that  “journalists across the country have objected to certain sections of it.” He called for the concerns to be addressed. As per PRA, the president had assured the JUI-F chief of “full cooperation” and had also promised to consultations. However, he signed the bill into law.

The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) President Afzal Butt, in an interview on Geo News, said: “The PPP has greatly disappointed us but this is not a new thing for us. We will have a meeting an hour from now […] we will resort to legal recourse as well as move on to the next stage of the press freedom movement, that began yesterday, that will be a black day across the country against the president’s move.”

He further announced that press clubs, unions, and reporters would wave black flags and ribbons to mark the black day protest, adding: “We will be approaching the courts as there are many points in this law where the courts can provide us with relief.”

On January 29, journalist Jafar Bin Yar challenged the amendments in the Lahore High Court.