The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has scheduled the next hearing for the petitions challenging the controversial Prevention of Electronic Crimes (PECA) Amendment Act 2025 for September 18.
Justice Raja Inaam Ameen Minhas will preside over the hearing. The petitions have been filed by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), television anchors, and the Islamabad High Court Journalists Association.
The hearing had initially begun on July 7, but the court did not set a date for the next session at the time, which has now been announced. During the previous hearing, Dr. Yasir Aman, the lawyer for PFUJ, presented arguments, which he is expected to continue during the upcoming session.
The National Assembly amended the PECA law on January 23, 2025, granting the government expanded powers to regulate and control social media platforms, leading to protests from journalists and rights activists. Subsequently, several petitions were filed against the amendment in various high courts, including the IHC.
