Pakistan, Feb. 9 -- Should the government have the power to erase your online speech within 24 hours-without judicial oversight?

This is the fundamental question at the heart of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act, 2025 (PECA 2025). While the framers cited it as a necessary response to counter cybercrimes and misinformation, as the state cannot allow individuals to tarnish reputations for a few dollars. However, critics argue that it hands unchecked power to the state, threatening press freedom, political dissent, and individual privacy by enabling unchecked state surveillance over social media platforms.

Pakistan's digital landscape is evolving rapidly, with social media becoming a powerful tool for political activism, ...