Observation on PECA ordinance: SCBA condemns ‘campaign’ against IHC CJ

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) on Wednesday strongly condemned the social media propaganda launched by unknown elements of passing derogatory and contemptuous remarks against the Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court, Justice Athar Minallah, in wake of his completely justified observations on PECA ordinance.

In a statement issued here, SCBA President Ahsen Bhoon said that the substance of such social media campaign/ propaganda proves to be a desperate effort to malign and slander the dignity of the judiciary.

While endorsing the observations made by the IHC chief justice in PECA ordinance hearings, the lawyers’ leader said that the SCBA not only reiterates its full support to the [IHC] chief justice and the judiciary but also repeats its longstanding stance that introduction of such “draconian law” is an attempt to victimise political opponents and to silence those who believe in freedom of speech, opinion, and expression.

In order to stop such derogatory content, he called upon the relevant law enforcement agencies and their cyber departments to take stern action against the culprits so as to stop this disparaging campaign/ propaganda against the IHC chief justice, and those found involved in such contemptuous campaigns must be taken to task at the earliest.

APP adds: Fawad Hussain, meanwhile, rejected the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA)’s criticism on the Prevention of Electronic Crime Act (PECA), saying its demands were contradictory and it must come up with a clear stance on this legislation.

The minister, in a tweet, said the SCBA wanted to have an action against those running sham social media campaigns and on the other hand they were opposing the government’s initiative to introduce an effective law. "Let’s clearly decide what we want," Fawad said.