By EHSAN AHMED SEHAR
13/1/26
Pakistan’s Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) was designed to combat cybercrime, online harassment, and digital abuse, but recent developments reveal a growing misuse of the law against journalists, particularly those reporting on public-interest issues.
Arrests and legal action are being taken even before independent verification of digital evidence, raising serious concerns for press freedom and journalistic practice.
The Rural Media Network Pakistan (RMNP), in collaboration with Daily Nawa-i-Ahmedpur Sharqia, has been advocating against such misuse and highlighting systemic risks. Their work focuses on ensuring journalists’ rights are protected while also strengthening effective measures against genuine cybercrime and online abuse.
A recent case involving a Karachi-based journalist illustrates potential misuse of PECA. The journalist was arrested by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency and sent to judicial remand under provisions covering defamation and cyberstalking, based on alleged social media posts. Screenshots were cited as evidence, and notices were issued during the inquiry stage.
Concerns highlighted by the case include criminalising routine journalistic reporting on public-interest matters, arrest and remand prior to independent forensic verification, and heavy reliance on screenshots or unverified digital evidence at registration stage.
This creates a climate where journalists face legal risks simply for investigating governance, public services, or accountability issues.
Enforcement in 2025: Complaints vs. Convictions
Official statistics for 2025 reveal a striking enforcement gap: 22,500+ complaints were received nationwide, 620 cases were registered after preliminary scrutiny, and only 26 convictions were secured.
These figures show that criminal cases are frequently registered but rarely result in convictions, investigative capacity is overstretched, undermining prosecution quality, and victims of online harassment, especially female journalists, often do not receive timely justice.
While PECA is applied widely, it fails to deliver meaningful outcomes where harassment or abuse is real.
Impact on Press Freedom
The current application of PECA has created legal uncertainty and professional risk for journalists. Key issues include equating public-interest reporting with cybercrime, criminalisation as the default response to reputational disputes, and inadequate safeguards against misuse of the law.
Female journalists, in particular, remain vulnerable to harassment and trolling, demonstrating the urgent need for balanced enforcement.
RMNP, in collaboration with Daily Nawa-I-Ahmedpur Sharqia, recommends:
- Prevent Misuse Against Journalists. Cases should be carefully assessed to distinguish lawful reporting from cybercrime; notices and responses should precede criminal registration.
- Proportional Enforcement Measures. Arrests and remand should be reserved for cases with risk of evidence-tampering or direct threat.
- Improve Investigations. Strengthen digital forensic and investigative capacity to increase credible convictions.
- Protect Women and Victims of Online Abuse. Ensure confidential, time-bound handling of complaints and safeguards against retaliation.
- Focus on Justice, not complaint volume. Assess PECA effectiveness through outcomes, due process, and protection of press freedom, not merely case numbers.
The Karachi case and 2025 PECA enforcement data underscore the urgent need to recalibrate cybercrime legislation. RMNP, in collaboration with Daily Nawa-i-Ahmedpur Sharqia, continues to advocate for a legal framework that protects citizens from digital harm without suppressing journalism or public accountability.
