ISLAMABAD. The Islamabad High Court on Friday rejected the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's appeal against the Prevention of Electronic Crime Act (Peca) Amendment Bill 2022 saying it was “inadmissible.”

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the proceedings of the case.

Minallah remarked that the “actual stakeholder” has already challenged the ordinance in court and final arguments were under way in the case.

“The PML-N is already present in parliament. The actual stakeholders have already challenged the Peca [Bill] that has no alternate platform,” IHC CJ Minallah said.

The high court chief justice further added that they respect political parties and advised them to strengthen parliament instead of approaching courts. “The political party’s moving of court is disrespect to parliament.”

The PML-N’s lawyer said that opposition parties were in majority in the Senate.

IHC CJ Minallah said that the court has already heard the attorney general for Pakistan in this regard and would continue to do so.

The petitioner’s lawyer informed the court that they also want to assist the court. To this, the court said all the parties, who have been in power, follow the similar practice of bringing an ordinance.

Parliament had a very big domain and it could also bring an amendment to the Constitution, the judge said and assured the petitioner that they would not hear any other political party’s petition pertaining to the prevailing case. It advised the political party to play its role in the Majlis-e-Shoora (parliament).

While extending the stay order on section 20 of the Peca Amendment Bill 2022, the IHC on Thursday barred FIA from carrying arrests. IHC CJ Ather Minallah was hearing the plea against FIA when he remarked that DG FIA would be responsible if any arrest was made under section 20.

President Dr Arif Alvi on Sunday promulgated an ordinance to amend the Peca, 2016, aimed at countering fake news, amid the opposition and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan's concerns over the tweak. The government has received a lot of criticism for its abrupt move to promulgate the ordinance and amendments to the ordinance.

Amidst the rising clamour on the tweak, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Friday extended his support to the law and said the development was not a political issue and asked "everyone" to come together for media reform.

"Improve the law but to say that there is no law or there is a law that cannot be enforced is absurd," he said.