PECA cannot be applied to digital platforms of websites, newspapers and TV channels, Senate panel directs NCCIA
ISLAMABAD – The Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting issued a clear directive to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) saying that PECA should not be used against websites and digital platforms of newspapers and TV channels.
The committee reiterated that media content should be dealt with by the relevant regulatory bodies, as it examined concerns over the application of cybercrime laws to the cases of journalists and media organisations.
The Senate Standing Committee also waded into the controversy over the PECA notice issued to a newspaper columnist and referred the matter to the Press Council of Pakistan for review, questioning the application of cybercrime laws in disputes over media content.
The development took place during a committee meeting chaired by Senator Sarmad Ali at the PTV headquarters, Islamabad, where lawmakers reviewed the circumstances behind the notice issued by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) over alleged controversial remarks about bureaucracy.
NCCIA officials clarified that the notice was not an FIR or criminal action but was issued to get the columnist’s version after a complaint was filed by the president of the PAS Officers Association.
Officials told senators that no case has been registered under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), while the columnist is yet to submit a response to the notice. He added that the article had been removed from the newspaper’s e-paper but was still available on the columnist’s Facebook page.
During the debate, the members of the Senate Committee highlighted the need to maintain a balance between accountability and freedom of expression. The senators recalled the government’s assurance in Parliament that PECA would not be used against the digital platforms of newspapers and television channels, as their content falls under the purview of media regulatory bodies.
Senator Pervez Rasheed said that the columnist should be given an opportunity to respond so that the facts can come out before further action.
After deliberation, the Committee observed that the dignity and reputation of every individual should be protected and directed the NCCIA to forward the complaint with relevant details to the Press Council of Pakistan, the forum responsible for examining complaints related to newspaper content.
The committee’s move effectively shifted the issue from cybercrime proceedings to media regulatory mechanisms, reinforcing that disputes over published content should be resolved through appropriate legal and journalistic forums.
The Senate panel reminded the NCCIA that its actions against journalists go beyond its mandate
The post PECA cannot be applied on digital platforms of websites, newspapers and TV channels, Senate panel instructs NCCIA appeared first on Daily Pakistan English News.
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