Journalists protest against PECA Ordinance

PESHAWAR: The members of Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ) staged a protest against the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).

Led by KhUJ president Nasir Hussain, the protesters, carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans against the government, gathered outside the Peshawar Press Club. They marched on the road and urged the rulers to withdraw the black law.

Speaking on the occasion, Nasir Hussain said that the PECA ordinance was an effort to gag the freedom of the press. This, he said, was not acceptable to them and that was why the political parties, members of the civil society and media were opposing it. The journalists had not accepted anti-people laws in the past and would not do so now, he added.

He said the journalists had always opposed the imposition of draconian laws. The dictators and anti-democratic forces had also tried in the past to subjugate the voice of free press but they could not succeed in their nefarious designs, he went on to add.

He asked the rulers to withdraw the law and allow the media to perform professional duties so that the people could know the reality. It, he said, was the right of people to know the facts and the journalists were protesting to safeguard the rights of people.