ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly has approved the PECA Amendment Bill 2025, a controversial legislation aimed at regulating social media in Pakistan, according to ARY News.
The bill, introduced by Federal Minister Rana Tanveer, proposes the creation of a new authority to oversee social media platforms and safeguard users’ rights. This authority will be tasked with facilitating social media platforms, ensuring compliance with regulations, and overseeing their registration process.
Once established, the authority will have the power to take action against platforms that violate the law, instruct relevant bodies to remove unlawful content, and handle the registration and deregistration of social media platforms.
The authority will comprise nine members, including the Secretary Interior, Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), and Chairman of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) as ex-officio members. The chairman and five other members will be appointed for a five-year term.
Additionally, the government has decided to include journalists in the authority, with five members required to have at least a decade of experience in fields such as journalism, software engineering, law, social media, and IT.
Previously, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) proposed amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) and shared the legal draft with the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). The PML-N had suggested a punishment of over ten years for spreading false information, a proposal that the PPP opposed. Despite their differences, both parties reached a consensus on aspects related to social media control.
Last year, seven individuals were charged with allegedly engaging in anti-state activities and spreading misinformation on social media platforms. The suspects, including Muhammad Sohail, Muhammad Junaid, and Sheikh Muhammad Ehsan, were accused of using WhatsApp and X (formerly Twitter) to propagate false narratives. Authorities have confirmed ongoing efforts to arrest the individuals involved.
