ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) on Friday announced to observe a ‘Black Day’ on February 28 (Monday) against Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) Ordinance 2022.
In a statement, PFUJ president Shahzada Zulfiqar and secretary-general Nasir Zaidi called the PECA ordinance a draconian law intended to restrain media freedom and stifle dissent. “The journalist body had never and would never accept such ordinances and vowed to protest against it at every forum,” the leaders said.
The leaders appealed to all journalists’ unions (UJs) to stage a protest and hoist black flags on press clubs on Monday to mark the black day.
PFUJ also instructed all journalists’ union to hold demonstrations in front of their respective press clubs and public spaces: “To register their protest against this draconian ordinance, designed to shrink space for voices of dissent and freedom of speech and expression”.
PFUJ leaders furthered that a protest would be held in front of parliament within the coming weeks for which arrangements were being made.
A day earlier, Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Athar Minallah described the PECA Ordinance 2022 as “oppressive and draconian”.
The court also extended its order to refrain the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) from directly arresting anyone without the complete implementation of its standard operating procedures (SOPs) till March 10 – the next date of hearing.
Justice Minallah was hearing the pleas clubbed together against the new ordinance. “It is being said with regret that the proceedings [under Peca] were initiated against those individuals who criticised the government.”
