LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday issued notices on a petition challenging the amendments made to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act 2025.
The amendments, which introduce stricter penalties for what the government classifies as “fake news,” expand the state’s oversight of digital platforms, and establish new regulatory bodies to monitor social media platforms, have sparked considerable debate.
The petition was filed by journalist Jaffar bin Yar through Advocate Nadeem Sarwar, who argued that the bill was passed hastily, without proper consideration of stakeholder input.
During the court’s proceedings on Friday, Justice Farooq Haider rejected the petitioner’s request for an immediate suspension of the new provisions of the amended law. He stated that a final decision on the request would be made after all parties present their positions.
Justice Haider also directed all concerned parties to submit their responses within three weeks, issuing formal notices to them.
