
PECA amendments challenged in PHC
The writ petition filed in this regard has taken the stance that the recent amendments restrict fundamental rights such as freedom of expression, privacy and due process of law, which are in violation not only of the Constitution of Pakistan but also of international human rights.
The writ petition has been filed by Advocate Noman Mohib Kakakhel on behalf of social media influencer and activist Anil Masih, in which the Ministry of Law and Justice, Ministry of Interior, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), and the Federal Investigation Agency have been made parties.
According to the writ petition, the amended act is an attempt to suppress freedom of the press in the name of criminalizing dissent, giving unnecessary powers to regulatory bodies, and the clause of preventing "false and misleading information" can be used against journalists, social workers, and other citizens.
According to the petition, the amendment act is made against Articles 4, 9, 10, 10-A, 19, 19-A, and 25 of the Constitution. The amendments restrict freedom of expression and freedom of the press.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Business Recorder
6 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Infertility no ground to deny woman dower or maintenance: SC
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court declared that infertility is no ground to deny a woman her dower or maintenance, and certainly no ground to challenge her womanhood. A two-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi heard an appeal against the judgment of the Peshawar High Court (PHC). According to the lis, the petitioner-husband (Saleh Muhammad) and the respondent-wife (Mst Mehnaz Begum) were engaged in 2003, and their Nikah was solemnized in 2006. In 2007, the respondent was left at her parental home by the petitioner. The respondent in 2015 initiated a suit for recovery of her dower, dowry articles, and maintenance. The petitioner, rather than contesting the claim of the respondent on any credible ground, persisted in advancing a line of argument that the respondent was medically unfit to perform conjugal rights and bear children, and hence disputed her status as a 'female' under the law, thereby seeking to deny her dower and maintenance altogether. All the courts below, ie, trial court, District and Sessions Court and the PHC delivered judgments in favour of respondent, refuting the respondent's allegation, on the basis of reports of medical boards, which were prepared after the respondent had to undergo invasive medical examinations. The medical report prepared on the direction of the PHC conclusively and categorically affirmed that the respondent is indeed a female, with no features or characteristics suggesting otherwise. The report did not yield any conclusive determination to the question of infertility. The judgment authored by Justice Yahya said: 'It is a sorrowful truth of our society that infertility, or even the suspicion of it, is often weaponised against women. This social prejudice routinely results in courts of law becoming venues for humiliating a woman under the guise of litigation.' The judgment without equivocation acknowledged 'that infertility, even if present, is no ground to deny a woman her dower or maintenance. It is certainly no ground to challenge her womanhood. To convert such personal pain into a legal weapon is not only an abuse of the process, but an affront to human dignity that should not be enabled.' It said; 'The holy Quran has described the spouse as a garment; the relationship between a husband and wife is likened to that of libaas in our religion, and therefore, the ideals of protection, mutual respect, and dignity in marriage must not be compromised in any event.' It declared that the courts cannot, and will not, be passive venues for the perpetuation of social prejudices that harm women and subject them to one trauma after the other. It is not a matter of judicial discretion but of constitutional and moral obligation that the personal dignity of all who appear before the courts be duly safeguarded, particularly where the power imbalance between the parties is so manifest. The petition was dismissed with costs of Rs500,000, imposed primarily as an expression of the strong disapproval of this Court towards the misuse of judicial process by the petitioner to inflict gratuitous humiliation upon the respondent, which shall be paid to the respondent. The judgment said if the said amount of costs is not paid by the petitioner, the same shall be recovered by way of arrears of land revenue. The Court hoped that this order serves as a reminder to all litigants and counsel that the dignity of every individual, particularly of women, must be respected in all judicial proceedings. Frivolous allegations attacking the personal identity and dignity of a woman will not be countenanced in any court of law. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025


Business Recorder
6 hours ago
- Business Recorder
‘Journalists Protection Act' to address problems facing journalists: Mandviwalla
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Senator Saleem Mandviwalla said the 'Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals (Amendment) Act, 2022' will address the problems including salaries, health, and security under an independent commission. Addressing a news conference at the party's Central Secretariat in Islamabad on Wednesday along with senators, Shahadat Ali Awan and Palwasha Khan, Mandviwalla said the bill will address the problems of salaries, security, health and others of working journalists. He said the Senate had unanimously passed the Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals (Amendment) Act, 2022, which comes into immediate effect. He emphasised that 'this Act is designed to empower journalists and media professionals to resolve their issues without the need to approach courts, police, or legislators.' He said that now the journalists would approach the commission to resolve their problems, adding that all political parties of treasury and opposition benches supported the bill in the Senate. He congratulated the journalistic community on the passage of the bill, stating that 'PPP has always prioritised legislation that benefits people across all sectors of society.' He said PPP always struggled for the rights and protection of workers, low grade employees and journalists. Responding to questions from media persons, Senator Mandviwala confirmed that mechanisms would be put in place to ensure the effective implementation of the journalists' protection law. 'This legislation addresses a wide range of challenges faced by journalists, and if improvements are needed, we are open to amending it further,' he added. 'This is a facilitative — not a regulatory — law for the journalist community,' he clarified. 'The PPP legislates for the welfare of the people,' he said. Senator Mandviwala said that the Senate had also unanimously passed the National Institute of Health (Re-organization) (Amendment) Act, 2024. He underscored the significance of this bill, highlighting Pakistan's lack of a comprehensive cancer patient registry. 'Cancer is a deadly disease, and without data, we cannot understand its true burden. This registry will identify the types of cancer prevalent in different regions and support a national action plan for cancer prevention and treatment.' Addressing questions about cancer patient registration, Senator Mandviwala recalled the inter-provincial cooperation during the Covid-19 pandemic. Provinces can adopt this legislation as well. The cancer registry will help relevant departments analyse accurate and timely data, he said. On the broader political situation, Senator Shahadat Awan addressed questions about the administration of oaths for reserved seats in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly. He clarified that the Constitution clearly outlines the oath-taking process. The chief justice of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) acted constitutionally when he directed the governor to administer the oath, he explained. Responding to a question on the 18th Constitutional Amendment, Senator Awan said that two major constitutional events took place with complete national consensus — the 1973 Constitution and the 18th Amendment. Any attempt to alter the 18th Amendment is out of question, he stressed. Commenting on the events of 9th May 2023, Senator Palwasha Khan described them as 'shameful' and 'an attempt to incite mutiny within the military.' She reiterated that the PPP and its leadership had unequivocally condemned the events. Senator Palwasha also highlighted that President Asif Ali Zardari is the only civilian president to serve a second term in office, expressing full confidence that he will successfully complete his tenure. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025


Business Recorder
6 hours ago
- Business Recorder
ATC issues fresh summons to Omar Ayub
ISLAMABAD: The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Wednesday issued fresh summons to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader and Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub Khan, for not appearing before it in the case registered against him and other PTI leaders. ATC judge Tahir Abbas Sipra, while hearing the case, issued a summon to the opposition leader in the National Assembly and adjourned the case registered at Shehzad Town police station until today (Thursday). The judge remarked that the case is adjourned until today (Thursday) so that the other accused can appear before the court. PTI lawyers Sardar Masroof, Zahid Bashir Dar and other lawyers appeared before the court. PTI leader Azam Swati filed an application seeking exemption from personal appearance before the court, which the court has approved. The defence counsel argued that all the accused in these cases belongs to different areas, including Mardan and Kashmir; therefore, it would be difficult for them to appear before the court tomorrow. He said that there is no arrangement for night stay of the accused in Islamabad. The judge remarked that it was the responsibility of the party to arrange their night stay. The court adjourned the hearing of the case till today (Thursday). Meanwhile, the judicial magistrate, Ahmed Shehzad Gondal has delayed the announcement of the verdict in two cases registered under the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order (PAPO) Act, 2024. Judicial Magistrate Ahmed Shehzad Gondal was expected to deliver the reserved judgment today; however, according to court staff, the decision has not been fully written yet. Court officials confirmed that the verdict will now be announced today (Thursday). The cases had been registered at Ramna Police Station, and pertain to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest held on November 26. Final arguments in both cases were completed on July 18, after which the court had reserved its judgment. The court had indicted the accused in the same cases on January 22 and March 2025. A total of 80 persons were nominated in these cases, of which, 70 accused have been declared proclaimed offenders for not appearing before the court. The court has completed the trial for only eight accused, and the verdict will pertain to these eight accused. Similarly, another local court has also postponed the announcement of verdicts in a case registered under the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order (PAPO) Act against PTI workers following PTI's November 26 protest. Judicial Magistrate Mureed Abbas will also deliver the reserved judgment today (Thursday) in case number 932, which is also related to the November 26 protest. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025