Senior journalists, legislators, and civil society members today voiced significant apprehensions over recent amendments to media-related laws and their potential impact on press freedom during a major media convention held in the city on February 14, 2026.
The event was organised by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) in partnership with the Abbottabad Union of Journalists and the Abbottabad Press Club, with support from the Trust for Democratic Education and Accountability (TDEA).
The gathering drew nearly 300 attendees, including a broad coalition of representatives from journalists’ associations, political parties, the legal fraternity, civil society organisations, trade unions, the business community, and the district administration. Media professionals travelled from numerous cities, including Abbottabad, Haripur, Peshawar, Lahore, and Islamabad, to participate.
Notable speakers, including former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Assembly Speaker Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani, Member of Provincial Assembly Shehla Bano, and FAFEN Chairperson Mukhtar Javed, addressed the assembly and shared the media community”s widespread concerns.
PFUJ President Afzal Butt and Secretary General Arshad Ansari specifically highlighted worries regarding the implementation of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act 2025 and its associated regulatory frameworks. They called for a thorough review of all legislation governing freedom of expression to ensure constitutional guarantees of free speech are properly upheld.
Legal experts, along with representatives from the Abbottabad Bar Association, offered their analysis of specific provisions within the amended act, focusing on ambiguous definitions, complaint mechanisms, and procedural safeguards. The attendees collectively stressed the necessity for clarity in legal language and insisted on wider stakeholder consultation in all future legislative processes.
PFUJ leadership announced that the recommendations formulated at the Abbottabad convention will be combined with input from similar consultations across the country. This consolidated feedback will be shaped into proposed amendments for a forthcoming national-level convention and will subsequently be shared with policymakers for implementation.