The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has decided to introduce amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) and has shared a legal draft with the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), ARY News reported on Wednesday, citing sources.
According to details, the PML-N proposed a punishment exceeding ten years for individuals involved in spreading fake news, a suggestion that the PPP opposed. Despite differences over the severity of penalties, both parties have agreed on several key aspects of the law, particularly regarding the regulation of social media.
The proposed amendments include the establishment of a dedicated social media regulatory authority tasked with identifying fake news and empowered to impose penalties, including imprisonment of up to three years and fines for offenders.
This new regulatory body will have powers similar to those of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA).
The final draft of the amended legislation has been shared with all coalition partners for further review.
Last year, authorities registered cases against seven individuals accused of engaging in anti-state propaganda and spreading misinformation via social media platforms such as WhatsApp and X (formerly Twitter). The suspects, including Muhammad Sohail, Muhammad Junaid, and Sheikh Muhammad Ehsan, are currently being pursued by law enforcement agencies.
