PECA Ammendment: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has announced to observe Friday as a “black day” in protests for PECA.
Press clubs and union offices all over the country will be in mourning with black markings, and the journalists working these events will wear black armbands.
Demonstrations nationwide will take place to show deep disapproval of the bill. PFUJ President, Afzal Butt, has criticised the government for enacting the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act (PECA) without involving stakeholders.
He also exhibited frustration that the president did sign the bill without providing journalists an opportunity to express their position.
Butt further noted that the PFUJ has launched a “freedom of the press drive” in protest.
The union also demanded a sit-in outside Parliament House and the dissolution of what they referred to as a “black law” reason.
Furthermore, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) also agreed to join the PFUJ-organized demonstrations.
This committee consists of large media houses, Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA), All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), and Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (AMAND).
The JAC criticised the government’s enactment of the PECA Amendment Bill in the National Assembly and the Senate Standing Committee without seeking input from stakeholders.
It claimed that this is an example of the intention of the government to throttle press freedom.
The commission stated that the bill’s passage is a statement of government intention to restrict journalistic freedom.
Strongly opposing the amendment, the JAC also indicated that a full scale public and legal effort against it will be mounted.
It also further charged the government of failing to fulfill its duty to consult with interested parties prior to changing PECA.
