EVALUATING PAKISTAN’S PECA 2025 AMENDMENTS AND THEIR IMPACT ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

Abstract

The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2025 Amendments mark a significant shift in Pakistan's approach to digital governance, expanding state control over online expression through the creation of regulatory bodies, broader definitions, and stricter penalties. This paper investigates the compatibility of these amendments with international human rights norms, particularly the right to freedom of expression under Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Using a doctrinal legal analysis and normative benchmarking, the study finds that the 2025 amendments fall short of the international "three-part test" of legality, necessity, and proportionality. The introduction of vague terms such as “false information” and “aspersion,” combined with the centralization of regulatory powers in executive-led tribunals, risks institutional overreach and the erosion of judicial independence. The paper argues that the PECA 2025 amendments are not merely legislative responses to disinformation but are part of a broader digital authoritarian trajectory in Pakistan, one that requires urgent legal and policy reform to protect fundamental freedoms in cyberspace.