NEWYORK: Pak media journalists forum international, the largest organization of Pakistani journalists worldwide, organized an online meeting against the controversial Prevention of Electronic Crimes (amendment) Bill 2025 PECA Act, in which members and officials from more than 50 countries condemned the undemocratic and anti-media legislation.
The meeting was chaired by Chairman Chaudhry Noorul Hassan Gujjar and President of the forum Dr. Abdul Rehman Osama.
Acting General Secretary Shakeel Ahmed and US Chapter Head Asim Siddiqui assisted in the meeting.
The speakers in the meeting termed the PECA Act as a serious attack on freedom of the press.
Senior anchorpersons Dr. Omar Riaz Abbasi, Dr. Owais Rabbani and Yasir Nazar informed the participants about the possible effects of the PECA Act in Pakistan and the ongoing agitation on such controversial legislation.
Head of US chapter PMJFI Asim Siddiqui said that the implementation of this law will give immense powers to the police and the federal investigation agency, which are against the principles of transparency.
He said that under the PECA amendment law, any journalist can be arrested at any time, which is completely against the principles of freedom of expression.
The participants unanimously passed a resolution, which sated that PECA Act is a failed attempt to suppress freedom of the press and this law is against the principles of democratic values and freedom of expression.
They demanded the government of Pakistan to immediately withdraw such controversial amendment forthwith.
The participants reiterated their resolve to continue all possible efforts to protect press freedom and said that no kind of restrictions will be accepted.
The meeting was attended by prominent journalists and officials from different countries, including Hassan Butt and Atif Tanoli from Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Ijaz Afzal from the UK, Imran Muzammil from Switzerland, Salman Luqman from the UAE, Riaz Baloch from Austria, Shaukat Goraiya from Germany, Ashfaq Anwar from South Africa, Asim Siddiqui from the USA, and others.
All participants of the meeting resolved their full support for the protection of press freedom and expressed their determination that they would continue struggle for the rights of journalists.
Pak media journalists forum international resolved consensus and solidarity of journalists worldwide against the PECA Act and sent a strong message to the government of Pakistan that no attempt to suppress press freedom will be allowed to succeed.
