Pakistan passes controversial PECA bill to tighten social media regulations

Pakistan’s National Assembly passed on Thursday the controversial Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) Amendment Bill 2025, tightening regulations on social media platforms.

Federal Minister Rana Tanveer presented the bill, which cleared the lower house with a majority vote amid protests from journalists and opposition lawmakers.

None of the coalition parties opposed the legislation, while opposition members staged a walkout before the bill was presented. Journalists in the press gallery also walked out in protest.

The Joint Action Committee of Journalists, comprising key media bodies such as PFUJ, APNS, CPNE, AMEND, and PBA, rejected the amendment.

The committee criticized the government for pushing the legislation without consulting media stakeholders or sharing a draft of the proposed changes.

"We strongly oppose this unilateral approach. The government must not pass laws that directly impact press freedom without consulting shareholders," the committee said in a statement.

Standing committee meeting

Earlier in the day, a meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Interior became a battleground of arguments. Opposition lawmakers, including Zartaj Gul of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Abdul Qadir Patel of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), criticized the bill.

“This is a black law,” Gul declared. “The government is rushing it through to silence dissent on social media. First, they tried a firewall; now they’ve resorted to this.” She warned that the bill’s severe punishments could be weaponized to target dissenting voices.

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Patel also expressed reservations, calling the legislation a potential "weapon" against freedom of expression. “Everyone knows where the idea of this bill came from. Such measures should not be used to suppress voices,” he said.

However, coalition party member Khawaja Izharul Hassan of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) argued that the bill addresses growing concerns over “digital terrorism.” He also lamented the lack of accountability mechanisms for journalists.

Government stands firm

Government lawmakers defended the bill, with Hanif Abbasi citing examples of personal attacks and misinformation on social media. “The honor of people’s mothers and sisters is being violated. We cannot allow unchecked freedom on these platforms,” he said.

The standing committee passed the bill with a majority vote in the absence of opposition members. The legislation now moves to the Senate, where it is expected to be approved swiftly.

Backlash from media and opposition

The bill has drawn widespread criticism for what opponents describe as its potential to stifle free speech and suppress dissent. Critics argue that the law hands excessive power to authorities to penalize individuals for online activity.

Despite these concerns, the government appears determined to implement the amendments, citing the need for stricter controls on misinformation and cybercrimes.

The centerpiece of the amendments is the creation of the Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority (SMPRA), an independent body tasked with facilitating, regulating, and ensuring the rights of social media users. The authority will be headquartered in Islamabad, with regional offices in provincial capitals.

How SMPRA will work?

According to the bill, the SMPRA will oversee the registration of social media platforms and will have the power to cancel registrations and take punitive actions against platforms violating PECA provisions.

The authority can also direct relevant institutions to remove illegal content from social media and block it immediately upon instruction from its chairman. “The SMPRA will ensure that social media platforms operate within legal parameters while safeguarding users’ rights,” the bill stated.

Proposed amendments

Under the proposed amendments, any material opposing the ideology of Pakistan, encouraging illegal activities, or targeting state institutions, including the armed forces, parliament, or provincial assemblies, will be subject to removal. Content previously expunged from parliamentary proceedings or issued by banned organizations or individuals will also be prohibited from being uploaded.

The bill proposes the establishment of a Social Media Complaints Council comprising five members and one ex-officio member to address grievances. Additionally, the federal government plans to set up a Social Media Protection Tribunal to enforce the amended law. The tribunal, led by a former high court judge, will include a journalist and a software engineer among its members.

Decisions by the tribunal can be challenged in the Supreme Court within 60 days. Non-compliance by social media platforms with SMPRA directives may result in the tribunal's intervention.

The bill also proposes harsh penalties for spreading fake news, including up to three years in prison or fines of up to PKR 2 million.

NCIA to replace FIA cybercrime wing

To investigate illegal online activities, the government intends to establish a National Cybercrime Investigation Agency (NCIA), replacing the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) cybercrime wing. The NCIA will be headed by a director general appointed for three years, and its officers will have powers equivalent to police officers.

The SMPRA will have nine members, including the interior secretary, chairpersons of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) as ex-officio members.

Other members will include a journalist, a software engineer, a lawyer, an IT expert, and a social media professional with at least 10 years of experience. The chairman will require a bachelor's degree and at least 15 years of experience in a relevant field.

The chairman and five other members will serve five-year terms and are prohibited from engaging in other business activities.

Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has referred the bill to the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Interior for further consideration.