PESHAWAR: The Awami National Party and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party have rejected the recent amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act and urged the federal government to withdraw the move, insisting those changes will restrict freedom of expression.

In separate statements issued here on Friday, both parties declared Peca tweaks against freedom of expression and democratic principles.

Central spokesperson for ANP Engineer Ehsanullah Khan said that his party was against any kind of restriction on freedom of expression in the country.

“We [ANP] consider such laws as against basic human rights and have already rejected them outright. PTI is shedding crocodile tears over this Act, but it is also an equal partner in the legislation. Our proposals on the bill were based on the protection of political workers, freedom of expression, consumer privacy and protection of human rights,” he claimed.

“Our proposals and recommendations in the standing committee were rejected by the chairman of the PTI’s dialogue committee. Not only were our recommendations rejected in the committee meeting but its chairman was also adamant on the passage of the bill the same day,” he said.

Mr Khan alleged that the role that the PTI government played yesterday was being played by the PML-N.

“We want to tell you that tomorrow someone else will be sitting in this position and these same laws will be used against you again. Such laws cannot suppress dissent and silence critical voices. This act is being used as a weapon to impose restrictions on the mainstream and social media. Under the guise of Peca, the fundamental rights of political activists, journalists, social workers and ordinary citizens are being violated,” he said.

The ANP’s spokesman said the law was a clear violation of the freedom of expression promised by Article 19 of the Constitution.

“This act also severely damaged the autonomy of democratic institutions and the freedom of media,” he said, calling for reforms in the relevant laws in accordance with democratic principles to ensure freedom of expression.

Meanwhile, PkMAP Khyber Pakhtunkhwa president Dr Mohammad Ali called the recent changes to Peca Act unconstitutional and draconian, saying they’re meant to suppress freedom of expression, silence political dissent, and impose state-controlled digital censorship.

In a statement, Dr Ali said the law was not about responsible cyberspace regulation but instead, it was a tool to control narratives, criminalise criticism and intimidate independent voices.

He warned that Peca 2025 would be weaponised against journalists, human rights activists, and political opponents, especially those exposing government failures and human rights violations.

“Peca is not about protecting digital spaces; it is about enforcing fear and eliminating dissent. This law will disproportionately affect marginalised communities, including Pakhtuns, who already face media blackouts and state censorship,” he said.

The PkMAP leader said the Peca blatantly violated the Constitution, especially Article 19 (freedom of speech), Article 19-A (right to information), Article 14 (right to privacy), Article 4 (due process of law) and Article 10-A (right to a fair trial).

“The Act grants excessive and arbitrary powers to the executive through the Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority and Social Media Protection Tribunal, allowing preemptive censorship, content removal, and platform blocking without judicial oversight,” he said.

Dr Ali said the creation of a parallel judicial system under Peca was a major concern that empowered regulatory authorities to block websites, suspend social media accounts, and prosecute individuals without due process.

He urged the government to reconsider Peca tweaks and ensure its provisions align with fundamental rights and international best practices.

Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2025