On September 10, the Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting, chaired by Senator Ali Zafar, declared 372 cases registered under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) by provincial authorities as illegal and ordered their immediate withdrawal. The committee emphasized that only the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) is authorized to register such cases, following recent amendments to the law. A sub-committee has been formed to oversee the implementation of this ruling and ensure compliance across the country.
During the meeting, it was disclosed that 1,214 PECA cases had been registered nationwide, including 10 against journalists. In Islamabad, 19 cases had been filed, none involving journalists, and no arrests had been made. The committee, noting the misuse of PECA, stressed that the law should not be used as a tool for censorship against journalists or the public. Senator Zafar highlighted the need for clarity in distinguishing between genuine national security threats and censorship.
Senator Ali Zafar emphasized that no citizen should be prosecuted unlawfully and cautioned against using PECA as a tool of censorship. Referring to cases categorized as “anti-state,” he underscored the need to distinguish between genuine threats to national security and criticism of government policies. Officials from the Ministry of Interior informed the committee that none of the registered cases related to anti-state activities, but were instead linked to hate crimes, incitement, and sectarian violence.
The committee also discussed issues faced by journalists. Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar informed members that the officer involved in the case of Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) President Tariq Ali Virk had been suspended, and the matter was settled after the RPO Rawalpindi met journalists at the Press Club. The committee also unanimously recommended registering a case against a state TV anchor who made derogatory remarks against the Sindhi community and recommended the formation of a coordination body to address journalists’ grievances.
The meeting was also informed that the Cabinet had approved rules for the Social Media Regulatory Authority, with staff recruitment to begin soon. In addition, the committee sought details of federal government advertisement expenditures across print and electronic media from March 5, 2024, to the present for review in its next session. Consideration of the Motion Picture (Amendment) Bill, 2025, was deferred.
The meeting was attended by Senators Sarmad Ali, Irfan-ul-Haq Siddiqui, Pervaiz Rashid, Abdul Shakoor Khan, Jan Muhammad, Syed Waqar Mehdi, and Faisal Javed, along with Federal Minister Attaullah Tarar. Journalist Tayyab Baloch, who was recently manhandled by political party supporters, also appeared before the committee and was asked to submit his demands in writing.
