MM News

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday dismissed a petition filed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) against the amendments in the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) to make defamation a criminal and non-bailable offense.

During the hearing, Chief Justice Athar Minallah remarked that the court could not accept the petition as the petitioner had a relevant forum, parliament, to contest the changes in the law.

He said the courts should not meddle in political affairs. Political parties moving courts on such matters was disrespectful, instead of submitting unnecessary petitions in the courts, they should play their role in parliament, he said, adding that parliament can even amend the Constitution

The Chief Justice remarked that the court respected all political parties and they should play their role to strengthen parliament, adding that the court listened to other stakeholders — journalist bodies among them — as there was no other forum available to them, but political parties can go to parliament.

“We took up petitions against PECA on Thursday, listened to the attorney general as well, while symbolic hearings on the pleas filed by political parties could not be conducted”, the court said.

A day earlier, the high court grilled the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the federal government over its “oppressive and “draconian ” changes in the PECA law through an ordinance. It asked the attorney general as to why the court should not declare Section 20 of PECA null and void.