ISLAMABAD: Hunger strike camps were organized nationwide on Wednesday following a call by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) to protest controversial amendments made to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).
The PFUJ condemned the amendments as a direct attack on freedom of expression. Camps were set up in cities including Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Sukkur, Peshawar, Hyderabad, and Quetta, where journalists held symbolic hunger strikes. People from various walks of life visited the camps to show solidarity with the protesters.
Speaking at the camp outside the National Press Club in Islamabad, PFUJ President Afzal Butt criticized politicians for hastily passing the amendments into law.
PFUJ Threatens Indefinite Sit-In
“We initiated this token hunger strike in the first phase, and it’s evident that human rights activists and citizens from all sectors are supporting us,” said Mr. Butt. He warned, “If the government ignores our concerns, we will announce an indefinite sit-in in front of Parliament House.”
He added that the hunger strike camps would continue for two more days, followed by a rally on Friday, when the next phase of the protest would be announced.
PFUJ President Afzal Butt and RIUJ General Secretary Asif Bashir Chaudhry expressed disappointment over the lack of consultation before passing the amendments. “Our demand is clear: the government must withdraw this law before engaging in any dialogue with us,” said Mr. Chaudhry.
He also criticized the law, remarking, “It’s ironic that while murder remains a bailable offense in Pakistan, expressing an opinion or raising a free voice is now a non-bailable crime.”
The journalists vowed to continue their protest against what they called a “black law” until it is repealed.
Karachi Journalists Condemn Peca
In Karachi, the Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) established a hunger strike camp at the Karachi Press Club. KUJ President Tahir Hasan Khan described the amendments as a threat to democratic norms and debate. “We will take every possible step to block this draconian law—through protests on the streets and legal challenges in court,” he declared.
Karachi Press Club (KPC) President Fazil Jamili pledged to unite journalists, human rights activists, and civil society under one platform for a collective struggle against the law. He criticized the government for breaking its promises of consultation and said, “Peca is a tool to suppress the media and the journalist community.”
Protests in Hyderabad
In Hyderabad, PFUJ leader Khalid Khokhar, HUJ President Wasim Khan, and General Secretary Fareed Lakho led the protest, reiterating that Peca is an attack on press freedom. Protesters accused the government of using the law to conceal its own “misdeeds.”
Ongoing Protests
The hunger strike camps will continue through Thursday and Friday, as the PFUJ and its affiliates remain steadfast in their demand for the immediate withdrawal of the amendments. Protesters also highlighted that only three countries worldwide have enacted similar laws, with two of them located in Africa.
The PFUJ resolved that the journalist community would not rest until PECA is repealed, emphasizing that the fight for press freedom and democratic principles will persist.
