February 01, 2025
By Baseer Qalandar
PESHAWAR
Taking a stand against the new PECA Amendment Act 2025, the Supreme Court Bar Association (SBCA) President Mian Rauf Atta, has announced that SBCA will challenge the Act, and that lawyers across the country were in complete solidarity with journalists concerning the restriction of freedom of expression through this piece of legislation.
Atta was speaking at a memorial conference for the martyred lawyer Latif (Lala) Afridi held at the lawn of the Peshawar High Court (PHC).
The memorial conference, marking the second death anniversary of Latif ‘Lala’, was attended by distinguished guests including Justice Ijaz Anwar, Justice Syed Atiq Shah, Justice Shakeel Ahmad, Justice Arshad Ali, along with prominent lawyers, human rights organization leaders, politicians, writers, and journalists, who all paid tribute to Latif Lala’s struggles and efforts.
Meanwhile Atta criticised the recent amendments to PECA as ‘flawed’ and demanded their immediate withdrawal.
“Pakistan’s lawyers stand united with journalists,” he said. “We believe the amendments made to PECA are defective. We reject this flawed legislation and demand these amendments be withdrawn,” declared Atta.
‘A Culture of Media Restrictions’
Senior journalist and Vice Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Munizae Jahangir, addressing the gathering, highlighting that media restrictions have always been there during successive political regimes. She recalled how under Imran Khan’s premiership, press freedom was severely curtailed.
“Senior journalists including Hamid Mir and Asad Ali Toor faced pressure to shut down their TV talk shows during that period,” she reminded others. “We are living in an era where media faces strict restrictions, and people live in fear of speaking up because of PECA thanks to a potential three-year imprisonment,” she said. Remembering Latif ‘Lala’, she shared a personal account of how he, then President of the SBCA, actively supported media freedom by organising a massive seminar titled ‘Media Under Siege’. This was when journalists were being harassed and physically assaulted.
“Lawyers stood alongside journalists, declaring they would not tolerate censorship,” she said.
A True Rights Activist
Veteran politician Afrasiab Khattak, speaking at the memorial, described Latif ‘Lala’ as a multifaceted personality and progressive figure who stood firmly against exploitation and imperialism. “His efforts will be remembered forever,” Khattak remarked.
“Though he belonged to the tribal areas, he held progressive views,” added Khattak. “He was the first to raise his voice for reforms in tribal areas, and led the movement against the draconian Frontier Crimes Regulation. He made several sacrifices for democracy, including undergoing imprisonment,” Khattak added.
Other speakers at the event, commemorated the legacy of the late human rights defender and his contributions to legal reform and social justice in Pakistan, particularly in the tribal areas.