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Concerns Raised Over PECA’s Impact on Press Freedom in Pakistan

Human Rights , Special , / Saturday, May 30th, 2026

Concerns Raised Over PECA’s Impact on Press Freedom in Pakistan

Analytic Desk of WPM-International Freedom of expression is a universally recognized human right under international law yet in Pakistan the enforcement of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) and its amendments has increasingly become a subject of controversy among journalist bodies and human rights observers. While the law was originally introduced to combat cybercrime online harassment and digital fraud its expanded application in cases involving journalists reporters and digital commentators has raised concerns about its impact on investigative journalism and public accountability reporting. Journalist unions including the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) argue that the broad interpretation of PECA provisions risks creating a chilling effect on independent media. Over the past several years multiple journalists have been named in publicly reported PECA-related FIRs investigations or arrests. These include Fakhar-ur-Rehman Waheed Murad Farhan Mallick Aslam Shah Ahmed Noorani Imran Khatana Azhar Tariq Khan Salman Durrani Hussain Rafique Matiullah Jan Asad Toor Umar Cheema Murtaza Solangi Azaz Syed Ammar Masood and Bilal Farooqi among others in cases generally linked to allegations such as defamation online content disputes or alleged dissemination of false information.” In public narratives Tanveer Ahmed Narowal Punjab has been referenced in relation to alleged intimidation and reported disappearance-related concerns before later relocating abroad. In response to rising concerns the World Peace Mission International has strongly condemned what it describes as the misuse and overreach of cybercrime legislation against journalists stating that such practices undermine international human rights standards and weaken democratic freedoms. The organization has called for stronger safeguards to ensure press freedom judicial transparency and protection for journalists carrying out legitimate reporting duties. While authorities maintain that PECA is necessary to counter cybercrime and misinformation the growing number of reported cases continues to fuel an ongoing global debate on the balance between digital regulation state security and freedom of expression. By Oliver Grant End of post

Analytic Desk of WPM-International

Freedom of expression is a universally recognized human right under international law, yet in Pakistan the enforcement of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) and its amendments has increasingly become a subject of controversy among journalist bodies and human rights observers. While the law was originally introduced to combat cybercrime, online harassment, and digital fraud, its expanded application in cases involving journalists, reporters, and digital commentators has raised concerns about its impact on investigative journalism and public accountability reporting. Journalist unions, including the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), argue that the broad interpretation of PECA provisions risks creating a chilling effect on independent media.

Over the past several years, multiple journalists have been named in publicly reported PECA-related FIRs, investigations, or arrests. These include Fakhar-ur-Rehman, Waheed Murad, Farhan Mallick, Aslam Shah, Ahmed Noorani, Imran Khatana, Azhar Tariq Khan, Salman Durrani, Hussain Rafique, Matiullah Jan, Asad Toor, Umar Cheema, Murtaza Solangi, Azaz Syed, Ammar Masood, and Bilal Farooqi, among others, in cases generally linked to allegations such as defamation, online content disputes, or alleged dissemination of “false information.” In public narratives, Tanveer Ahmed, Narowal, Punjab has been referenced in relation to alleged intimidation and reported disappearance-related concerns before later relocating abroad.

In response to rising concerns, the World Peace Mission International has strongly condemned what it describes as the misuse and overreach of cybercrime legislation against journalists, stating that such practices undermine international human rights standards and weaken democratic freedoms. The organization has called for stronger safeguards to ensure press freedom, judicial transparency, and protection for journalists carrying out legitimate reporting duties. While authorities maintain that PECA is necessary to counter cybercrime and misinformation, the growing number of reported cases continues to fuel an ongoing global debate on the balance between digital regulation, state security, and freedom of expression.

By Oliver Grant

World Peace Mission International

A group of International Human Rights Activists.

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Concerns Raised Over PECA’s Impact on Press Freedom in Pakistan

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