Invoking jurisdiction of the Supreme Court on Wednesday, a petitioner urged for full court to declare the recent amendment in the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2025 illegal on the grounds it curtails constitutional guarantees relating to fundamental rights.
Advocate Supreme Court Dr G.M Chaudhry filed the petition on behalf of one Farrukh Nawaz Bhatti, made the Federal government through Prime Minister, secretaries of ministries including Law and Justice, Information Technology and Telecommunication and Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority as respondents in the matter. Challenging the Amendment, the petitioner submitted saying as the matter is of serious nature having deep-rooted implication on the legal system, constitutional system, administration of justice, protection of civil liberties and human rights of the individuals guaranteed by the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. He prayed the court expressing “there is a need to constitute a full court for hearing of the constitution petition in hand”.
He further requested the court to settle the matter once for all instead of throwing the petitioner and the public at large in ordeals of appeals for a long time and till then allow the agencies and authorities under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 (Act No. XL of 2016), to arbitrarily subject the people of Pakistan to suffer the ordeals.
