PESHAWAR: Journalists held a protest demonstration here on Tuesdays against provincial government for taking action against their senior colleague under Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca).

The demonstration was held under the aegis of Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ) outside Peshawar Press Club.

Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) leader Shamim Shahid, KhUJ president Kashifuddin Syed, former president Nasir Hussain, PPC president M Riaz, Arif Yousufzai and Shahid Khan spoke on the occasion.

They condemned Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for using Peca against Irfan Khan, the vice-president of PPC, on the basis of a social media post. They said that journalists, legal fraternity and Human Rights Commission of Pakistan had already rejected the black law in shape of Peca.

They said that the ruling party, which came up with such laws, might be targeted too when it would not be in power. “Laws such as Peca hurt common person as he or she is prevented from speaking on social media. Let the people have their freedom to speak. Let them air their grievances. If they are not allowed to speak up, they will go astray and go in the wrong direction,” they said.

The speakers condemned the provincial government for registration of a case under Peca against senior journalist Irfan Khan.

The demonstration was largely attended by media persons, who strongly condemned the action and demanded withdrawal of the case. They chanted slogans against curbs on freedom of speech and termed Peca a ‘black law’ and demanded its repeal.

“Peca is a black law that restricts freedom of press and is being used to keep journalists silent,” they said. They said that in case the action was not stopped against the journalist, it would be considered an attempt to suppress journalism.

The next protest, they said, would be staged in front of provincial assembly building and later it would be extended to the entire province.

Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2025