Journalists across country observe Black Day, hold protests against PECA amendments

Journalists across the country observed Black Day and staged protests against the controversial PECA Amendment Bill 2025 on Friday.

Protest rallies were held in various cities of Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan.

The main event took place at the National Press Club (NPC), Islamabad, where journalists chanted slogans such as “Reject PECA” and “Say no restrictions on press freedom.”

Addressing the protest, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) President Afzal Butt thanked the journalist fraternity for an overwhelming response to the protest call.

He called for further expansion of its nationwide protests against the “draconian law.”

Butt warned the government that if the law is not revised, they will stage a sit-in outside the Parliament House, with no plans to return until their demands are met.

He recalled past struggles, including arrests and hardships faced during General Zia’s era, and vowed that they would not compromise this time. He also mentioned a three-month-long sit-in during General Musharraf’s regime, declaring that a new, decisive battle had now begun.

In Karachi, the Karachi Union of Journalists organized a protest outside the Karachi Press Club, where a black flag was hoisted. Lawyers and journalists joined the protest, wearing black armbands and staging a walk. Senior journalist Mazhar Abbas announced plans for a march to Islamabad, a sit-in outside Parliament, and a hunger strike if the bill is not withdrawn.

In Lahore, journalists also observed Black Day, with black flags raised at the press club. PFUJ Secretary General Arshad Ansari declared that the movement against the law would continue until it is abolished. He announced plans to march towards the Senate and National Assembly and approach the Islamabad High Court next week.

CPNE President Irshad Arif stated that the PECA Amendment Bill is not just an attack on journalists but an attempt to silence the public on social media.

Protests were also held in other cities of Sindh, including Hyderabad and Mirpur Khas, where black flags were raised at press clubs. Journalists in Kandhkot, Khairpur, Jacobabad, Gambit, Shikarpur, and Sajawal also protested, demanding the rejection of the controversial PECA Ordinance.

In Kohlu, Balochistan, journalists condemned the PECA Act, calling it a violation of fundamental constitutional rights.

PECA Act

President Asif Ali Zardari gave his assent to amendments to the PECA 2016 law on Thursday, despite widespread backlash from political parties, journalist bodies and human rights organisations.

The new provisions introduce harsher penalties for what the government considers “fake news”, expand state oversight of digital platforms and envisage the creation of new regulatory bodies to monitor social media.

“Whoever intentionally disseminates, publicly exhibits or transmits any information through any information system, that he knows or has reason to believe or has reason to believe to be false or fake and likely to cause or create a sense of fear, panic or disorder or unrest in general public or society shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend up to three years or with fine which may extend to two million rupees or with both,” Section 26A of the bill reads.

The proposed law provides for the establishment of bodies like the Social Protection and Regulatory Authority, Cybercrime Investigation Agency and Social Media Protection Tribunal.

According to the bill, the Authority shall have the power to issue directions to a social media platforms for removal or blocking of online content, if such online content: (a) is against the ideology of Pakistan (b) incites the public to violate the law, take the law in own hands, with a view to coerce, intimidate or terrorise pubic, individuals, groups, communities, government officials and institutions (c) incites public or section of public to cause damage to governmental or private property (d) coerce or intimidate public or section of public and thereby preventing them from carrying on their lawful trade and disrupts civic life (e) incites hatred and contempt on religious, sectarian or ethnic basis to stir up violence or cause internal disturbance (f) contains anything obscene or pornographic in contravention of any applicable law (g) is known to be fake or false or there exist sufficient reasons to believe that the same may be fake or false beyond a reasonable doubt (h) contains aspersions against any person including members of judiciary, armed forces, Parliament or a provincial assembly or (i) promotes and encourages terrorism and other forms of violence against the state or its institutions.

Apart from that, the Senate passed the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill 2025, presented by the law minister. The bill, the minister said, aims to digitize the “whole system to align with the modern-day requirements.”