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PRESIDENT ASSENTS TO PECA AMEND BILL AMID WIDESPREAD OUTCRY Thursday, 30 January, 2025 | 29 Rajabul Murajjab 1446
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Rs 20.00 | Vol XV No 205 | 8 Pages | Islamabad Edition
PRESIDENT ZARDARI ALSO SIGNS DIGITAL NATION PAKISTAN BILL AND NATIONAL COMMISSION ON STATUS OF WOMEN BILL ISLAMABAD
Staff RepoRt
MID raging controversy and widespread outcry, President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday gave assent to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Bill 2025 (PECA). In addition to the PECA bill, President Zardari also signed the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill 2025, a significant move towards enhancing Pakistan’s digital infrastructure. Furthermore, the President also assented to the National Commission on the Status of Women (Amendment) Bill 2025, which seeks to strengthen the commission’s role in advocating for women’s rights and empowerment. The signing of the PECA amendment
bill comes after political discussions, with Maulana Fazlur Rehman raising concerns over the legislation. Earlier, President Zardari had delayed signing the bill until consultations with journalists and relevant stakeholders took place. The amended PECA Act was approved by the National Assembly and the Senate before being sent to the President’s office for final approval, which has now been granted. Earlier, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) raised concerns about the amended bill, stating that it was unaware of the lack of consultation on the controversial Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act 2025 (PECA) bill, which it had supported in both houses. On Tuesday talking to journalists in Islamabad, PPP Vice President Sherry Rehman said that they were told that all stakeholders
would be taken on board, “which as one can see did not happen”. She assured the journalists of her party’s support in backing any amendments to this law proposed by media bodies. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also voiced the same concerns as Sherry, stating that it would have been better for this legislation if journalists’ organizations had been consulted to forge a consensus. Meanwhile, the joint action committee of media bodies staged a protest demonstration in front of the Karachi Press Club on Tuesday in response to an appeal from the Pakistan Federation of Union of Journalists (PFUJ) against a recent amendment in the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). Representatives from various media organisations, civil society groups, trade unions, lawyers’ groups and teachers joined
and supported the protest. The PECA, a law enacted in 2016, was passed by lower and upper houses, aimed at addressing cybercrime and regulating electronic communication in Pakistan. It was meant to combat online offences such as hacking, data theft, and cyberbullying. Many journalists and media organisations have raised concerns regarding its implications on press freedom and freedom of expression. “The government has to learn the lessons as it was earlier used against the same party, which had passed the law in a haste,” commented Mazhar Abbas, a senior member of PFUJ.
PM reaffirms unwavering commitment to facilitate foreign investors g
LEADING INVESTORS FROM US CALL ON PM SHEHBAZ SHARIF TO DISCUSS PAKISTAN’S DYNAMIC INVESTMENT LANDSCAPE PROFIT
Staff RepoRt
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif warmly received an international investors delegation, led by Mr Gentry Beach, leading investor from the United States, to discuss Pakistan’s dynamic investment landscape and promising economic potential According to a press release issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), during the meeting, PM Shehbaz Sharif expressed his gratitude for the delegation’s keen interest in exploring business opportunities in Pakistan. He reaffirmed the government’s unwavering commitment to facilitating foreign investors by ensuring a conducive business environment, streamlined processes, and robust institutional support. Highlighting Pakistan’s strategic
geographical location, a skilled and youthful workforce, and a rapidly expanding consumer market, the prime minister underscored the country’s unique appeal as a global investment destination. Mr Gentry Beach commended Pakistan’s immense economic potential and conveyed his delegation’s enthusiasm to explore diverse investment opportunities across key sectors, including mining and minerals, renewable energy, infrastructure development, and technology. He acknowledged the government’s pro-investment policies and expressed confidence in the nation’s future growth trajectory. This high-level engagement reflects the government’s proactive efforts to attract foreign direct investment, foster sustainable economic growth, and generate employment opportunities for the
FIA DG, KP IG Police faced the music for ‘poor performance’
ISLAMABAD
people of Pakistan. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Federal Ministers Muhammad Aurangzeb, Abdul Aleem
ISLAMABAD
Staff RepoRt
ISLAMABAD
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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday removed Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director General Ahmad Ishaq Jahangir from his post over unsatisfactory performance while Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Inspector General of Police Akhtar Hayat was also removed. The Establishment Division has issued a notification in this regard, stating that Jahangir has been made OSD following approval from the premier. The decision was taken in line with directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who had expressed resentment for reportedly not presenting a detailed report on Greece boat incident, which had claimed lives of several Pakistani nationals. The premier has directed to appoint an experienced officer from police service as new DG FIA. The Establishment Division has shortlisted officers for the vacant post of DG FIA. His removal comes amid growing concerns over human trafficking, with sources linking the decision to the FIA’s slow response to migrant boat tragedies. Multiple deadly migrant incidents in recent months have taken place, including the capsizing of a boat off the Moroccan coast earlier this month, which killed at least 50 people, most of them Pakistanis.
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Pakistan ranked 12th global military power on GFP Index For 2025, arch-rival and nuclear-armed neighbour India has been ranked higher at 4th place
Khan, Attaullah Tarar, Minister for State Ali Prevaiz Malik and SAPM Tariq Fatemi were also present in the meeting.
Govt proposes ‘parliamentary committee’ in response to PTI demand for Judicial Commission
PM Shebaz approves removal of DG FIA following growing concerns over human trafficking
What is PECA? The Pakistani government is strengthening the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) with new amendments to tackle fake news and unlawful online content. The proposed Electronic Crimes Prevention (Amendment) Act 2025 introduces severe penalties, including up to three years in prison and fines of Rs2 million for spreading disinformation. A key provision is the establishment of a Digital Rights Protection Authority (DRPA) tasked with regulating social media platforms and removing unlawful content.
The government has proposed the “formation of a parliamentary committee” as an alternative to the judicial commissions (JC) demanded by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf probe the May 9 and November 26 incidents. The government made the suggested as it ‘submitted’ response to Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf’s (PTI) charter of demands to the National Assembly (NA) Speaker Ayaz Sadiq. According to the govt response, the government doesn’t outrightly rejected PTI’s demand for a judicial commission, rather proposes the formation of a special parliamentary committee as an alternative to probe the May 9 and November 26 incidents. The government’s response outlines the conditions under which a judicial commission could be formed, as well as the legal and constitutional reasons why it may not be feasible. It has also suggested granting parliamentary sta-
tus to the existing committee under the NA speaker’s leadership. The government has also cited legal and judicial decisions regarding the PTI’s demand for the release of its founder, Imran Khan, and other prisoners, stating that it would not object to bail or release if granted by the courts. The government has also demanded that the Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf (PTI) provide a list of missing persons. However, the NA speaker or committee members have decided not to make the government’s response public at this stage. If the PTI returns to the negotiation table, the response will be presented in the committee for further discussion. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has been briefed on the situation. However, it seems there is a difference of opinion between the government and the Speaker’s Office regarding the future of the negotiation committee. While the speaker aims to maintain the committee, the government is inclined to dissolve it after January 31. The government’s response did
not outright reject the formation of a judicial commission but emphasized the challenges and legal complexities involved. It also outlined specific circumstances under which a commission could be formed, while reiterating its preference for a parliamentary committee to address the issues at hand. The fourth round of negotiations between the government and PTI could not take place as the latter refused to participate in the Jan 28 meeting, citing unmet demands and lack of progress on key issues. National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq had convened a meeting of the negotiating committees at Parliament House on January 28. In preparation, Sadiq had contacted PTI leaders – Omer Ayub and Asad Qaiser, extending an invitation once again. However, the PTI made it clear it would not attend the meeting, accusing the government of failing to fulfil their demand for the formation of a judicial commission on the incidents of May 9, 2023 and November 26, 2024.
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Staff RepoRt
The 2025 Global Firepower (GFP) Index has ranked Pakistan among the top 15 global military powers, positioning the country 12th out of 145 countries considered for the annual review. Pakistan’s arch-rival and nucleararmed neighbour, India has been ranked higher at 4th place. “The GFP Index denotes Pakistan as a top 15 global military power,” the GFP stated on its website. “For 2025, Pakistan is ranked 12th, reflecting its strategic military capabilities. In terms of specific military strengths, Pakistan ranked 7th globally for air fleet strength, while India was placed 4th. For naval power, Pakistan was ranked 27th, with India ahead at 6th position. ”The GFP Index highlighted that while both nations continue to grow their military capabilities, India maintains a stronger position in certain areas, such as naval and air fleet strength. The GFP Index, which assesses military strength based on over 60 individual factors, including military units, financial standing, logistics capability, and geography, placed Pakistan with a PowerIndex (PwrIndx) score of 0.2513. A perfect score is 0.0000 PAF SEVENTH MOST POWERFUL AIR FORCES GLOBALLY Earlier, a report published on a globalfirepower.com website ranked Pakistan Air Force (PAF) as the seventh in the world’s most powerful air forces based on their aircraft inventory, including fighter jets, helicopters, and support aircraft. According to the report, Pakistan operates 1,434 fighter jets, helicopters, and support aircraft. Egypt, Turkey, and France round out the top ten, with respective inventories of 1,080, 1,069, and 972 aircrafts. The report highlights the evolving landscape of air power, with countries like China rapidly advancing their technological capabilities, while others, such as Russia, face challenges in maintaining their fleets due to ongoing conflicts. The United States was identified as the strongest air force globally, followed by Russia and China in second and third places, respectively. India ranked fourth, South Korea fifth, and Japan sixth. The report noted that the US Air Force is unrivalled, with a fleet that exceeds the combined air capabilities of Russia, China, India, South Korea, and Japan. It operates 5,737 helicopters, 1,854 fighter jets, and 3,722 support aircrafts, with an annual budget of $800 billion, accounting for nearly 40% of global military spending. Russia, with one-third of US air power, operates 1,554 helicopters, 809 fighter jets, and 610 support aircrafts.
USAID halts funding for Pakistan following Trump’s foreign aid freeze g
FUNDING SUSPENSION PART OF 90-DAY REASSESSMENT; ISRAEL AND EGYPT EXEMPTED PROFIT
Staff RepoRt
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has suspended all funding for programmes in Pakistan following a directive from the Trump administration to halt all foreign aid, except for Israel and Egypt. The decision, effective from January 20, aligns with President Donald Trump’s executive order to re-evaluate and realign US
foreign assistance. The US Embassy in Islamabad confirmed the development in response to queries, stating that all media requests related to the decision were being referred to the White House. The funding freeze follows a memo from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, enforcing a 90-day review period on all foreign aid allocations. According to official data from the US Foreign Assistance portal, US disbursements to Pakistan dropped from $169.8 mil-
lion in 2023 to $116.5 million in 2024. The primary sectors affected include basic health ($21.53 million), disaster prevention ($14.01 million), energy ($12.04 million), business services ($13.34 million), conflict resolution and security ($11.7 million), and agriculture ($4.82 million). This is not the first instance of a US aid freeze on Pakistan. In January 2018, during his first term, President Trump criticized Pakistan, claiming the US had “foolishly handed over $33 billion in aid over 15 years” with little in return. He accused Pakistan of providing “safe havens to terrorists” operating in Afghanistan and vowed to end the assistance.