ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on Wednesday announced to challenged the Prevention of Electronic Crime Act (PECA) presidential ordinance in the Islamabad High Court.
The petition will be filed by Marriyum Aurangzeb and Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar on grounds of calling it contrary to the basic human rights as enshrined in the constitution of Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Federal Information Technology Minister Aminul Haq, affiliated with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, in a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed reservations over the PECA laws.
Read more: IHC bars FIA from arresting suspects under PECA’s Section 20
In his letter, the federal minister said that he disagrees with the amendment as no stakeholders were taken into confidence, adding that non-bailable arrest without the definition of fake news has caused uproar in the country.
The IHC on Wednesday against a petition filed by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) barred arrests under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, PECA (2016)’s Section 20, days after it was passed through a presidential ordinance.
Read more: PECA law to ensure substantive relief to cybercrime victims
IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah issued notice to Attorney General Khalid Javaid Khan to assist the court on the amendments issued through a presidential ordinance. The IHC said that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has already submitted its SOPs.
PECA Section 20
In the Peca Amendment Ordinance, issued by President Arif Alvi, the definition of a person has been included any company, association, institution or authority. Section 20 of the ordinance had been amended to increase the sentence from 3 years to 5 years in case of an attack on the identity of any person.
The person filing the complaint would be the aggrieved party, his representative or guardian, the offence had been declared admissible, and it would be non-bailable, media reported. The trial court would decide the case within six months and submit details of the case to the high court every month.
