Pakistan journalist bodies intensify protest against PECA amendment bill

Lahore [Pakistan], February 2 : Journalists' bodies in Pakistan have intensified their protests following controversial amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016, which they say threatens freedom of the press, as reported by Geo News.
Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) Secretary General Arshad Ansari announced the plan to hold nationwide protests under the Joint Action Committee (JAC) on Saturday.
He said that the journalists would lead a march to the parliament house and organise sit-ins and "Jail Bharo Tehreek [court arrest movement]" against the amendments to the PECA act.
"Peca amendment bill is a serious assault on the freedom of the press," said Ansari, adding: "Trade unions, human rights organisations, and civil society will hold joint protests."
PFUJ and the JAC would also challenge the amended law in the high court, Geo News reported.
He informed that all the press clubs across the country will march toward the parliament and merge in Islamabad. However, he did not set a definite date for the rally.
On Friday PFUJ staged a nationwide "Black Day" protest against the amendments in PECA act, Samaa TV reported.
Demonstrations are taking place across the country, with journalists wearing black armbands while covering events. Union offices and press clubs have been draped in black as a symbol of resistance, according to Samaa TV.
PFUJ President Afzal Butt criticised the government for passing the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) Amendment Bill without consulting relevant stakeholders. "The president signed the bill without even allowing journalists to voice their concerns," he bemoaned, as reported by Samaa TV.
The Joint Action Committee (JAC), which includes the Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA), All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), and the Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (AMAND), is also participating in the PFUJ-led protests, according to Samaa TV.
The recent amendment made to the country's cybercrime laws included new definitions, the establishment of regulatory and investigative bodies, and stricter penalties for disseminating "false" information.
Meanwhile, the new amendments also proposed the establishment of the Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority (SMPRA), the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) and the Social Media Protection Tribunal.
According to Geo News, the fresh changes also stated that the authority might require any social media platform to enlist with it in any manner, form and on payment of such fee as may be prescribed.