The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has formally requested Pakistan’s Supreme Court to review the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), warning that the law is being weaponized against journalists. In a letter to Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger expressed deep concern over the deteriorating media freedom in Pakistan, citing political turmoil, economic instability, and legal persecution under PECA. The IFJ, representing 600,000 journalists across 142 countries, urged immediate judicial intervention to amend the law in consultation with media stakeholders.
The letter highlighted alarming press freedom violations, including seven journalist killings, eight violent attacks, and numerous cases of legal harassment documented between May 2024 and April 2025. Bellanger emphasized that Pakistan’s commitments to international free speech standards under ILO and UN conventions are being violated by PECA’s restrictive provisions. The IFJ stressed that journalists face not only physical dangers but also financial instability, illegal job terminations, and systemic impunity for crimes against them.
The IFJ revealed that it conducted two fact-finding missions in Pakistan this year, meeting with local journalists and leaders of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ). Both missions concluded that PECA exacerbates risks for media workers, stifling dissent and investigative reporting. The letter called on the Supreme Court to direct the government to revise the law, ensuring it aligns with constitutional guarantees of free expression under Article 19.
Copies of the appeal were also sent to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Islamabad High Court’s Chief Justice, and PFUJ President Rana Azeem. The IFJ’s plea underscores growing international pressure on Pakistan to safeguard journalists amid escalating censorship and violence. With media freedoms under siege, the judiciary’s response could determine the future of press rights in the country.