KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday issued notices to the ministry of law and others on a petition challenging the recent amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca).

Led by Justice Mohammad Faisal Kamal Alam, a two-judge bench also put a federal law officer on notice and directed the respondents to file comments till next hearing.

Citing the ministries of law, justice & parliamentary affairs, information & broadcasting and information technology & telecommunication as respondents, Karachi Union of Journalists president Fahim Siddiqui, along with another person, petitioned the SHC impugning the amendments.

At the outset of the hearing, petitioners’ counsel Tahir Mehmood and Ebrahim Saifuddin argued that the impugned amendments were violative of the constitutional provisions, particularly those related to the freedom of speech, and after such changes, the public office holders could not be held accountable for their actions.

The lawyers also informed the bench that the SHC had already issued notices on an identical petition.

Thereafter, the bench issued notices, directing its office to club both petitions for joint hearing at the next hearing.

The petitioners asserted that the impugned amendment was an attack on the freedom of speech and expression as well as freedom of press and the same was enacted in violation Article 19 of the Constitution.