The Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting has directed the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) not to initiate proceedings under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) against newspapers, their digital editions, news websites, or television channels over published news reports.
During a meeting chaired by Senator Sarmad Ali, the committee said complaints relating to newspapers should be referred to the Press Council of Pakistan, while complaints against television channels fall under the jurisdiction of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA). It also instructed the complainant in the case under discussion to approach the Press Council instead of the NCCIA.
Senator Sarmad Ali said Parliament had been assured when PECA was enacted that the law would not be used against newspapers or the digital platforms of electronic media organizations.
The committee also reviewed a complaint involving a newspaper column in which the term “Bureaucrapt” was used for bureaucrats. NCCIA officials informed lawmakers that the publication had removed the column from its website, although it remained accessible on social media. They clarified that only a notice had been issued and that no criminal case had been registered.
Senator Pervaiz Rashid said the newspaper’s decision to remove the article suggested it considered the content inappropriate. However, he argued that the continued circulation of the material on social media exposed ambiguities in PECA, adding that the law should either be repealed or amended to eliminate confusion over its application.
National Press Club President Abdul Razzaq Syal told the committee that journalists frequently face legal action despite publishing verified reports. He emphasized the need to clearly distinguish between the digital editions of newspapers and content shared on social media platforms.
The committee also reviewed long-standing issues concerning journalists’ welfare, including housing and health cards. It constituted a three-member subcommittee to examine the delayed implementation of the journalists’ housing quota and recommended restoring the 2 percent housing quota, resolving health card issues, and extending the prime minister’s loan scheme to media workers.
