Short Essay
2025 Amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016: An Introduction
Kamran Adil
Introduction
On 29th January 2025, new amendments were enacted to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 (PECA). For context, it may be recalled that the PECA is the primary legislation on cybercrimes and cybersecurity in Pakistan. As it defines cybercrimes and provides standards for cybersecurity, it is omnibus in nature when it comes to the law related to cyberspace in the country. In addition, the PECA is a criminal law and provides for criminal liability in cyberspace, therefore, any tweaks in it, undoubtedly, invite attention and generate discourse. Presently, the discourse about the new amendments to the PECA has predominantly revolved around two themes: first, the right to freedom of speech, and second the security concerns emanating out of misinformation and disinformation caused through the use of social media platforms. While the two themes are very important and do cut at the heart of the debate, the legal content of the amendments needs an objective assessment. For this, one needs to understand the amendments, as they are, and to firm up an opinion that may inform citizens’ perspectives. The legal content of the amendments is, therefore, examined in this write-up followed by general observations.
