Parliament has approved a major amendment to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), formally granting journalists a PECA exemption for actions carried out in the course of their professional duties. Lawmakers framed the change as a safeguard for reporting and a measure to prevent the misuse of cybercrime provisions against media professionals.
The amendment also strengthens criminal protections for journalists by creating specific penalties for those who obstruct, pressure, threaten or harm media workers. Under the revised provisions, anyone found guilty of attacking or intimidating a journalist, or attempting to interfere with their work, faces up to seven years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 300,000. The law now explicitly recognizes threats, coercion, assault and deliberate attempts to cause damage as punishable offenses when directed at reporters.
Parliamentarians, media organisations and civil society groups hailed the move as a step toward a safer environment for journalists who have long raised concerns about harassment, legal intimidation and violence linked to their reporting. Observers say the PECA exemption is likely to reduce the use of cybercrime laws as a tool to silence critical reporting and should help restore confidence among press workers who rely on digital platforms.
Media rights advocates welcomed the legislative change but urged authorities to match the amendment with firm enforcement and clear accountability mechanisms. They stressed that legal protections are only effective when institutions act, investigations are timely and punishments for offenders are consistently applied.
The amendment is expected to shape ongoing debates in Pakistan about media regulation, state oversight and the balance between digital governance and civil liberties. As journalists increasingly depend on online tools for reporting and distribution, supporters say the PECA exemption reinforces constitutional guarantees of free speech and the public’s right to information while addressing long-standing concerns about legal harassment of the press.
