Journalist bodies to observe ‘Black Day' today against Peca amendments

• Journalists to stage protest rallies across country. 
• Media persons will wear black armbands to record their protest.
• President okayed bill without giving them opportunity: PFUJ.  

Journalist bodies on Thursday announced marking Friday, January 31, as “Black Day,” a day after President Asif Ali Zardari gave his assent to the controversial amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016.

The contentious Peca (Amendment) Bill 2025 received assent from President Zardari on Wednesday amid uproar over the contentious amendments by the opposition and journalist fraternity. 

Earlier, the controversial bill sailed through the Senate and the National Assembly amid protests by journalists and the opposition.           

In a statement, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), said that black flags would be hoisted at press clubs across the county and in the union’s offices.

PFUJ President Afzal Butt and Secretary Arshad Ansari, in a joint statement, said that the journalists would hold rallies against the controversial amendments to the Peca Act tomorrow.

They said that the journalists would perform their professional responsibilities by wearing black armbands to record their protest, adding that the federal government and parliament did not consult the stakeholders on the bill.

Expressing their annoyance over the presidential nod to the contentious amendments, the PFUJ leaders said the president approved the bill without giving them an opportunity to clear their stance on the matter.  

“A press freedom movement has been launched,” they said, adding that the PFUJ would issue a call for a sit-in outside the Parliament House against the “black law”. 

Journalists’ Joint Action Committee (JAC) — comprising Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA), All Pakistan Newspapers Society, Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) and Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (AEMEND) — endorsed the PFUJ’s call for the nationwide protest.

The JAC was of the view that the controversial bill was approved without listening to journalist organisations and the stakeholders.

In a declaration, the JAC categorically rejected the fresh contentious amendments to cybercrime laws and vowed to launch a vigorous public and legal struggle against the act.

It said that they were contacting civil societies, human rights organisations, lawyer bodies and other stakeholders. The JAC further said that it would move the court against the fresh amendments to Peca, adding that they were consulting with legal experts to file a petition in the court in this regard.