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The federal government has introduced a major amendment to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016, aiming to hold internet companies and their officers directly accountable for failing to remove objectionable online content. The bill was presented in the Senate by a PML-N senator, marking a turning point in Pakistan’s digital regulatory framework.
Since its passage in 2016, PECA has been criticized for being both too broad and too lenient in parts. Under the current law, Section 38 shields service providers from direct liability, giving them protection if they do not comply with content removal orders. Critics long argued that this gap allowed platforms to delay or ignore directives from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).
The new amendment seeks to end this protection. It proposes that internet, mobile, telecom, web, payment, and even data storage companies must now act swiftly to block or remove harmful material once ordered by authorities. Failure to do so will not only expose companies to legal action but also hold individual officers personally responsible a sharp shift in accountability.
If approved, this amendment could significantly change how global and local service providers operate in Pakistan. It also signals the government’s push for tighter control over digital platforms at a time when online content moderation has become a politically sensitive issue. The move has sparked debate between advocates of stricter oversight and free speech defenders who fear misuse of the law.
