President Asif Ali Zardari gave his approval to the controversial amendments to the country’s cybercrime laws on Wednesday, despite widespread protests from journalists and media organizations urging him not to sign the bill.
This move comes a day after the Senate passed the changes to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) 2016, sparking demonstrations from media workers across the nation.
Journalists have condemned the legislation, calling it an “assault on freedom of expression.” The opposition PTI has also strongly criticized the law’s expedited passage through Parliament. The PPP, which supported the bill, has been accused of hypocrisy, but it has suggested that further adjustments could be made to address the concerns raised by journalists.
Amnesty International, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, and digital rights activists have also voiced their opposition to the amendments.
A press release from the presidency confirmed that President Zardari signed both the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill, 2024, into law.
This decision follows claims from the Parliamentary Reporters’ Association (PRA), which stated earlier today that President Zardari had initially agreed to delay the signing of the bill at the request of senior politician Maulana Fazlur Rehman. The PRA said that the president had halted the bill temporarily, awaiting suggestions from the association.
Under the Constitution, the president has the right to return a bill to Parliament once. However, if the bill is sent back to him, his approval is considered granted if he does not sign it within ten days.
According to the PRA, a delegation from the association met with Fazl, leader of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Fazl (JUI-F), who then reached out to the president. Fazl expressed full support for the PRA’s concerns regarding the lack of consultation on the bill’s approval. He conveyed these concerns to the president, emphasizing the objections raised by journalists across the country.
Fazl urged President Zardari not to rush into signing the Peca amendment bill, urging that the issues raised by journalists be addressed. The PRA also stated that the president assured the JUI-F leader of his full cooperation, promising that consultations would take place between the PRA and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.
