Attending by politicians, journalists, academics, and lawyers, on March 1, the Karachi Press Club (KPC) held an Azadi Convention against the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Amendment Act 2025.

At the outset of the convention, senior journalist Mazhar Abbas likened it to martial law, emphasizing that it was designed to control the right to information rather than address fake news or cybercrime. He called for PECA to be completely withdrawn.

Former senator Raza Rabbani termed Peca a “black law.” “This is a crisis the government created for themselves. If the government had sat with stakeholders before passing the law, it definitely could have been a better [law].” He said that now that the law had been passed, the government should stop action on it and invite stakeholders for dialogue, and based on their advice, amend the law and present and pass it in the Parliament.

Political figures, including PTI’s Haleem Adil Sheikh and MQM-P’s Taha Ahmed Khan, also addressed the convening. MQM-P’s Khan invited [journalists] to speak to his party as they can play a role of a bridge with the government. Meanwhile PTI’s Sheikh said that PECA was an attack on he country and the law, not just on journalists.

Former Sindh High Court Bar Association president Barrister Salahuddin Ahmed detailed the law and its potential impacts.

Other speakers included Jamaat-i-Islami’s Muslim Pervez, representing the Grand Democratic Alliance, Saira Bano, Awami National Party leader Younus Buneri, Nasir Mansoor of the National Trade Union Federation and Karachi Bar Association General Secretary Rehman Korai.

At the conclusion of the convening, a resolution was passed in which the press club urged the government not to intervene in the media. The resolution stated journalists, civil society and other democratic forces would continue every effort, while staying within legal and democratic boundaries, to oppose PECA and other such laws. They urged political parties to question it. The resolution called on media houses and owners to pay salaries to employees on time, suspend the forcible layoffs of employees, clear their outstanding dues and provide them with medical facilities. They stated that the press club would start a movement if media owners don’t change their “anti-worker policies.”

KPC President Fazil Jamili delivered a vote of thanks.